Why Wolves should move for Leonardo Campana as a long-term prospect
According to Sky Sports, Wolves are in talks to sign Ecuadorian starlet Leonardo Campana, who currently plies his trade with Barcelona SC in his homeland.
Born in Guayaquil, Ecuador, Campana started his footballing education at Barcelona SC back in 2016 and made rapid progress across various age-group levels before being promoted to the club’s reserve side in 2018.
The 19-year-old was then promoted to the first-team ranks prior to the start of the 2019 campaign and the highly-rated striker went on to enjoy an impressive breakthrough season in the Ecuadorian top-flight, scoring 4 goals and registering 3 assists in 21 appearances across all competitions.
Campana shot to prominence at the 2019 U20 South American Championship in Chile where he scored six goals in nine games, finishing as the top-scorer and guiding his nation to a triumphant campaign.
The left-footed ace also caught the eye at the 2019 FIFA U20 World Cup in Poland and was a key part of the Ecuadorian squad that finished third behind Ukraine and South Korea.
The teenager’s exploits for Ecuador at the U20 level coupled with his breakthrough at Barcelona SC have seen Campana earn four senior international caps for his nation.
Now, as per the report, the four-cap Ecuadorian international’s burgeoning reputation as a hot young prospect in South America has apparently put Wolves on red alert, with Campana expected to initially link up with the club’s U23 side in the Premier League 2 if a deal does materialize in January.
To put things into perspective, Leonardo Campana is still in his formative years as a professional footballer but his talent and potential have been there for everybody to see.
The Black Country outfit have impressed with their transfer business since the takeover by the cash-rich Fosun Group, with the club’s ties with super-agent Jorge Mendes largely instrumental in the arrival of some world-class talents at Molineux in recent times.
Besides forking out millions of pounds to build a formidable first-team under the stewardship of the charismatic Nuno Espirito Santo, Wolves have also laid a lot of emphasis on their youth recruitment drive in a bid to improve the quality of players coming through their academy system.
The summer transfer window marked the arrival of some quality young talent like Patrick Cutrone from AC Milan while the likes of Pedro Neto and Bruno Jordao came through the door from fellow Serie A outfit Lazio.
Wolves also went on to secure the services of young Azerbaijani striker Renat Dadashov before loaning him out to Pacos Ferreira in the Portuguese top-flight whilst Flavio Cristovao, who arrived on a free transfer from Deportivo Aves, has established himself as a key cog at the U23 level.
Verdict
Keeping in mind the cultural and climatic difference between South America and England, it is never easy for young players coming from that part of the globe to make an immediate impact in the Premier League,
Nuno Santo has already illustrated his proficiency in nurturing young talents, as evident from the rapid progress of players like Neto, Diogo Jota, Ruben Vinagre and Ruben Neves. Leonardo Campana could also get his chance to impress at the highest level if he manages to acclimatize to life on the English shores.
Plus, the 19-year-old holds a Spanish passport, meaning that securing a work permit in the United Kingdom won’t be a problem for him, as per the report from Sky Sports.
Having said that, a move could well go on to pay rich dividends for Wolves in the years to come.
