Strikers have been in the main limelight in this year’s transfer saga as clubs look to strengthen their frontline for the upcoming season. Gonçalo Ramos is the latest striker on the move as PSG and Kylian Mbappé have reached a standstill on whether he will sign a new contract or leave on a free transfer to Real Madrid. While other strikers like Romelu Lukaku, Dušan Vlahović, and Harry Kane are still in talks for a transfer away, Gonçalo Ramos will likely join other completed striker deals like Rasmus Højlund to Manchester United.
PSG Agrees £80M Deal to Sign Gonçalo Ramos
With the prospect of Kylian Mbappé staying at PSG looking bleaker by the day, PSG has wasted no time seeking a replacement for their golden boy in Gonçalo Ramos.
Gonçalo Ramos was one of the shining stars in the FIFA World Cup as he memorably replaced Cristiano Ronaldo in the starting line-up against Switzerland and scored a hat trick for himself. Despite failing to make a similar impact in the next round against Morocco, every club has recognised his talent and has begun monitoring his progress.
After initial rumours of joining Manchester United, PSG is now on track to sign Gonçalo Ramos as the two reportedly agree on a £80-million deal with the medicals set for next week. However, with the ongoing concern of Financial Fair Play, the deal will initially be a season-long loan with an obligation of signing him outright in 2024. The offer will include a £65m fixed fee with £15m in add-ons, making Ramos the 3rd most expensive player in this transfer window behind Declan Rice and Jude Bellingham.
Gonçalo Ramos to Paris Saint-Germain, here we go! Verbal agreement in place on €80m deal, documents are being prepared 🚨🔴🔵 #PSG
€65m fixed fee, €15m add-ons — it will be loan move with obligation to buy in 2024 due to Financial Fair Play issues.
Medical next week. pic.twitter.com/aAsiMjAgwM
— Fabrizio Romano (@FabrizioRomano) August 6, 2023
The Rise of Gonçalo Ramos
Gonçalo Ramos’s career rise to stardom has been smooth sailing as the current 22-year-old made his professional debut in 2019 with the Benfica reserve team. Just a year and six months later, he featured for the first team as an 85th-minute substitute and scored a brace in 8 minutes in their win over Desportivo das Aves. It was the jumpstart to his first-team career, as most of his appearances were in the UEFA Youth League. Despite losing out in the final to Real Madrid (3-2), Ramos’s accolades were hard not to be noticed as he scored a brace in the final and finished as joint-top scorer in the competition with eight goals.
Since joining the first team, his career only escalated as he became the second youngest player to score for the club in the knockout phase of the UEFA Champions League in their heartbreaking 6-4 loss against Liverpool. He also edged his name further in Benfica’s history as he became the second youngest player to score a brace in the Derby de Lisboa and the youngest player since Portuguese Legend, Eusébio to net 25 goals in a season for Benfica. Gonçalo Ramos capped off his phenomenal season, in which he scored 27 goals, by securing the title for Benfica, their first in 4 years.
Gonçalo Ramos Is the Future of Portugal
Playing as a talisman for Portugal is utterly terrifying, but Gonçalo Ramos seems unfazed by the prospect of following in the footsteps of Cristiano Ronaldo. In fact, he seems to relish the opportunity as he scored a hat trick in his first World Cup start, a feat not achieved by others since Miroslav Klose in 2002. Furthermore, he became the first player to score a World Cup knockout stage hat-trick since Tomáš Skuhravý in 1990.
Despite all the accolades, international trophies have been a thorn in his side as he has finished runner-up twice in both the 2019 UEFA European Under-19 Championship and the 2021 UEFA European Under-21 Championship. However, with his constant progression, we see him being the spearhead of Portugal’s future, alongside compatriots Rafael Leão and João Félix.
Also Read: Pochettino’s Chelsea Triumph in the Premier League Summer Series 2023
PSG Transfer Window: Panic Purchases or Smart Piece of Businesses?
If Gonçalo Ramos does sign for PSG, it will be their 10th signing of the season, with Ousmane Dembélé also close to pending his signature. The massive overhaul comes as no surprise, as losing Lionel Messi is a loss for any team. Combined with Kylian Mbappé shifting his allegiance to Real Madrid, the club has lost the interest of many, resulting in Ligue 1 dropping out of Europe’s top 5 leagues altogether.
It is an overstatement to say this is a drastic measure from PSG to remedy their situation and the league’s position. However, more signings do not guarantee success, as seen from recent examples like Chelsea and Nottingham Forest.
Ligue 1 has dropped out of Europe’s top 5 leagues, with France losing its place to the Netherlands in UEFA’s ranking at the start of this season 📉
The calculation is determined by the sum of each country’s European performance over the last 5 years 🤓 pic.twitter.com/Np0M2RhKcb
— ESPN FC (@ESPNFC) July 4, 2023
Final Say
While no striker can replace the dynamic and flair of Kylian Mbappé, Gonçalo Ramos’s versatility of playing in different attacking positions and linking up play will definitely suit PSG’s playstyle. Nicknamed O Pistoleiro (The Gunman), we are excited to see a new PSG side with him leading the lines, like how Karim Benzema does for Real.
