We have honestly lost count of how many times Brazilian youngsters were linked to English clubs in the past few months.
When rumoured, most of the stories said that their future would be decided after the Olympics, as the tournament would be a showcase for European clubs to know them better, and possibly offer more.
But despite the so desired Olympic gold, were they that good? We made a list to evaluate the performance of each of these players in the tournament, as not all were convincing enough to attract Europe’s attention.
Walace (Grêmio)
Clubs linked: Arsenal.
We’re safe to say he was the big surprise of the tournament. Despite starting on the bench, Walace had an opportunity during Thiago Maia’s suspension and took the position for himself. His long legs allowed him to be everywhere in midfield, always making precise tackles and giving balance to the team. With two touches, he was able to recover the ball and quickly set up a counter attack. The 21-year-old was quite impressive, even for those who already liked him.
Thiago Maia (Santos)
Clubs linked: Manchester United and Chelsea.
The youngest of the squad kicked off the tournament as the best player of the team. Unlike Wallace, Thiago is a box-to-box player, and got a bit stuck in the formation which forced him to be fixed as a defensive midfielder. Despite that, he did a good job while he lasted there, but his suspension after two games gave Walace the chance to take the position and then Maia spent the rest of the tournament on the bench. Still, he left the Olympics with a very positive impression.
Clubs linked: Manchester United, Leicester City and Chelsea.
Gabigol had a disappointing tournament. Stuck on the right wing, the lack of chemistry with teammates made it hard for him to make the same plays he does at Santos, which ended up making him a very limited part of the team. His move to pull the ball to the left leg and shoot didn’t really work, and despite finishing the competition with two goals, he left the final as the big disappointment of the offensive quartet.
Luan (Gremio)
Clubs linked: Manchester United, Liverpool and Leicester City.
Just like Walace, Luan is another Gremio youngster who joined the starting lineup during the competition and never left. His creativity has made a big difference to the attack, as his versatility has given a new mobility to the the sector. He was decisive with goals and assists, and despite a bad final, he was one of the team’s highlights.
Gabriel Jesus (Palmeiras)
Clubs linked: Manchester United and Manchester City.
Signed for: Manchester City.
Another disappointment. He scored three goals, but still, we expected more. Jesus was very hidden, sometimes in the centre of the attack, sometimes on the left wing, and produced very little during the competition. He missed sitters when he had chances, and it was often questioned if City overpaid for him. It would be ridiculous to judge a 19-year-old youngster on a national team’s tournament, as he obviously has quality, but unfortunately it was too rarely seen during the tournament.
Marquinhos (PSG)
Clubs linked: Manchester United, Arsenal and Chelsea.
As one of the players over 23 to be called up, Marquinhos did what was expected of him. He was very secure for most of the Olympics, led the defence alongside the young Rodrigo Caio and was one of those responsible for Brazil having conceding only one goal in the entire competition. Unfortunately, this goal was in the final, after a bad clearance by the PSG player. But still, an almost flawless tournament from him.
Apart from the Gabriels, we can say that the rest of the players wanted by Premier League clubs had a positive performance. The highlight were the Grêmio players, who despite not having much media surrounding them, showed that they are on the same level as the others. Marquinhos has already been a reality for some time, and Chelsea must have seen a little more of Thiago Maia’s qualities.
Brazilian sides can’t wait for the transfer window to shut, but there is still a week for the their European nightmares to make approaches for these players. Let’s wait and see.
