Despite all the big expectations, Wolverhampton Wanderers loanee Gonçalo Guedes is still to show something great during his new loan at Benfica.
When the clubs agreed the fresh spell in the summer, he was still recovering from a knee injury, and the Eagles patiently waited for his return, which happened in October. Now, after seven appearances, he only has 159 minutes on the pitch, and just one assist.
Portuguese newspaper Correio da Manhã today has a story claiming manager Roger Schmidt is ‘preparing Guedes for war’, as he was pleased with the few minutes the player had in the Lisbon derby and hopes he can be ready to help the team in the second part of the season.
The story treats the attacker as some kind of January reinforcement, as if his big period of recovery meant that Wolves are only loaning him to Benfica in the winter.
Correio da Manhã even mention something we had never read before, which is the possibility of the Eagles sending Guedes back to Molineux in the middle of the spell.
They say that scenario ‘has been ruled out’, though, as Benfica have big faith he’ll improve and have more impact in the final months of the season.
Wolves would then get him back next summer.
