David Neres scout report: All you need to know about this Tottenham target
As per reports from the Express, Tottenham Hotspur are interested in making a move for talented Ajax youngster David Neres.
Neres, 21, who is rated at around £45million, has been watched by Spurs’ Premier League rivals Manchester United and Chelsea, as well as German giants Borussia Dortmund this season (h/t Express).
With so much interest in the Brazilian winger, let’s take a closer look at what makes him such an attractive prospect for some of the most elite clubs across Europe.
Background
Born on March 3, 1997, in Sao Paulo, Brazil, Neres joined his hometown club at the age of ten in 2007 and rose rapidly through the ranks. The winger broke into the Sao Paulo B team in 2014 and in two years’ time, he was part of the senior team.
Neres made his Brazilian top-flight debut in October 2016 in a 2-1 victory over Fluminense and went on to score his first goal for the club five days later in a 2-0 win over Ponte Preta. The attacker went on to make 8 appearances for the senior outfit, scoring three goals, before he was snapped up by Ajax in January 2017. Reports from ESPN indicate that the Dutch giants had to pay a fee of €12million for the youngster’s services.
Having initially linked up with the reserves, Neres made a strong impression on then Ajax manager Peter Bosz, who fast-tracked him into the senior team. He handed the youngster his senior debut in February in a 4-1 triumph over Heracles. The Brazilian scored his first goal for Ajax in a 2-1 win over Feyenoord in April and went on to make 12 first-team appearances across all competitions, scoring 3 goals and setting up 3 more. He also made a brief cameo in the finals of the UEFA Europa League that season, as Ajax lost to Manchester United.
The last season saw Neres blossom into one of Ajax’s key players as he produced exceptional returns of 14 goals and 13 assists in 32 Eredivisie appearances, making a strong impression.
In the ongoing season, Neres helped his side achieve qualification to the UEFA Champions League, scoring one and assisting two in four qualifying matches. On his debut in Europe’s premier competition, the 21-year-old assisted a goal as Ajax beat AEK Athens 3-0. He also has an assist in 4 league games in the 2018/19 season. Neres has represented Brazil at the U20 level.
Style of Play
An extremely versatile operator, Neres can play on either flank as part of the attacking trident. He can also drop into the No.10 position and has often been used in a more withdrawn role in the middle of the park.
The 21-year-old has a combination of speed, flair and dribbling skills which makes him a nightmare for any defender going up against him. Someone who can score and create in equal measure, Neres brings directness and dynamism to the team with his pace and skills.
Neres plays predominantly on the right side, from where he can either attack the space ahead of him or cut inside onto his stronger left foot as well. Last season, the Brazilian played an impressive 2.2 key passes per game, while he also completed an average of 3.6 dribbles every game, highlighting the kind of impact he can have in the final third of the pitch.
What does the future hold?
There are no questions about his potential and hence, it wasn’t a surprise to see Ajax tie him down with a long-term contract till 2022 earlier this month. However, given the number of clubs lining up to sign him, it won’t be long before the Brazilian moves elsewhere.
Tottenham have a good working relationship with Ajax, having made deals with the club before to sign Jan Vertonghen, Christian Eriksen and more recently Davinson Sanchez. And given Mauricio Pochettino’s reputation of getting the best out of young talents, a move to the north London outfit would bode well for Neres.