Chelsea manager Antonio Conte’s striking problems could soon be a thing of the past as the club’s interest in Uruguayan sensation Gustavo Viera gathers pace, CaughtOffside learns.
Viera, 16, has already earned himself the nickname, “Gustaldo”, due to the striking similarities of his playing style with the legendary former Brazil forward, Ronaldo.
Currently playing with Uruguayan side Liverpool, Viera has caught the eye of scouts from Barcelona and Real Madrid but has his heart set on a move to Premier League champions Chelsea, where he wishes to emulate his hero, Didier Drogba. And Chelsea certainly need reinforcements in the forward department with the ongoing speculation over the future of Diego Costa and having missed out on the signing of Romelu Lukaku to Manchester United.
Viera is the third youngest ever player to compete in the Copa Sudamerica, South America’s equivalent to the Europa League, and Liverpool’s sporting director Gonzalo Matos accepts his young forward’s destiny lay in the Premier League.
“Of course he can play in the Premier League”, said Matos. “For two reasons. His great ability to play at the same level against top players, or against his own age, his scoring ability, and another because he has top-level physical levels, he has a speed and physical level that others simply do not have. His career has no limit, he can achieve everything possible.”
Even at such a tender age, Viera will not be cheap. His agent Nick Maytum of TMG is well aware of Real Madrid’s €40m purchase of the then 16 year old Brazilian forward Vinicius Junior and will be expecting a similar, if not higher, price. Roman Abramovich, the Chelsea owner, will do well to take note.