In a recent edition of TVI24 show Mais Transferências, journalist Rui Pedro Braz has stated that Crystal Palace are keeping a keen eye on Benfica forward Carlos Vinicius this summer. However, the Eagles will face stiff competition from Leicester City and Tottenham Hotspur in pursuit of the Brazilian striker during this ongoing transfer window (transcripted and translated by Sport Witness).
Vinicius’ Impressive Record For Benfica Last Season
The Rio de Janeiro-born marksman enjoyed one of the best years of his playing career at the Estádio Sport Lisboa e Benfica last season when he established himself as a prolific goal-scorer in the Liga NOS. Vinicius banged in 24 goals and grabbed 13 assists in 47 matches for the Portuguese giants in the previous campaign in multiple competitions.
The 25-year-old was a lethal finisher in the attacking third and did well to average 2.1 shots, 0.7 key passes and 0.6 dribbles per game in the Portuguese top tier. However, the Brazilian sensation needs to take care of the ball when distributing it from midfield after making only 70% of his attempted passes in top-flight football (stats via whoscored).
However, it is still unclear whether Vinicius can maintain his high standards in the Premier League where he will be tested both physically and mentally by some of the best talents in world football. The Eagles can benefit from bringing him to Selhurst Park as he would be a significant upgrade over Jordan Ayew, who has struggled to score goals regularly under the tutelage of Roy Hodgson recently.
What Will The Brazilian Sensation Bring To South London?
Vinicius has got the strength to hold the ball up for his teammates and can generate space for himself by outmuscling the opposition, which even allows him to get a few shots in on-target. He is a lethal presence in front of goal and has proven his worth as a consistent assist-maker as well over the past 12 months.
It’s high time that Hodgson recruited a new forward as the likes of Jordan Ayew, Michy Batshuayi, Christian Benteke and Connor Wickham have all struggled to make a positive impact at the English capital thus far. Vinicius has got all the skillset to be a success story at Selhurst Park and could potentially form a dangerous attacking partnership with Wilfried Zaha up top.
Vinicius’ acquisition would also allow Hodgson to be a bit more fluid with his formations as he will give the Palace manager the option to play with two potent forwards up top when required. If the Eagles are planning to build on their bright start to this campaign, then they should recruit Vinicius this summer as he will help them pick up more victories and avoid getting involved in the relegation dogfight later this season.
