The start of something special: SCOUT NOTES, April 16th
The start of something special: SCOUT NOTES, April 16th
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SCOUT NOTES is back. Life got in the way over the past few weeks but we’re back on the horse, riding in gallantly to update you with the interesting little tidbits on youth football that have been festering in our brains recently.
We’re rounding the final corner into the home stretch of the European season now. Bayer Leverkusen have won the Bundesliga title already, clubs are battling it out for the title, others are teetering on the precipice of relegation, there’s a lot of weird and wacky things transpiring, and the UEFA competitions are ramping up to their grand finale.
So too is the UEFA Youth League. It’s finals weekend this weekend. The semi-finals are on Friday then the final is on Monday, and all three games will be free to watch on UEFA.tv in the UK (and other regions). We’ll have a round-up of it on SCOUTED Notebook next week.
The start of something special
If you followed our FIFA U-17 World Cup coverage late last year, you’ll be familiar with the name Estêvão Willian, or by his nickname, ‘Messinho’.
Well, ‘Messinho’ (please, just call him Estêvão, pleeeeeeeease) has now arrived at senior level.
The 16-year-old made his first start for Palmeiras in last week’s Copa Libertadores clash against Uruguay’s Liverpool, and instantly left his mark, scoring the Brazilian side’s third goal in a 3-1 win.
Before he’d even started a game for Palmeiras, though, clubs had already been scrambling to secure a position at the front of the queue to sign him when he turns 18, in a similar vein to what occurred with his team-mate Endrick.
It’s safe to say that on July 1, 2025 — the day he turns 18 years old and is thus eligible to move to Europe — this kid will be on a plane. The only question is where to. Get ready for the hype to rapidly form around him.
The world wakes up to Wharton
We actually quite enjoy saying we told you so, and we really did tell you so about Adam Wharton.
His performance in Crystal Palace’s 1-0 win away at Anfield on Sunday has introduced him to the vast audience that is the casual Premier League watcher, your Match of the Day regular, thrusting his name to the top of their list for the Declan Rice partner at EURO 2024.
Wharton’s Premier League performances come as no surprise to those that had watched him in the Championship. He was doing the same sort of stuff he was doing at Anfield – the slick line-breaking passes, the cool turns under pressure, the keen defensive work – at Ewood Park, The Den, the Stadium of Light and so on in the Championship for Blackburn Rovers. This is just the start of what promises to be a really good career at the highest levels.
We interviewed Adam just before he made the milestone move to Palace back in January:
Nestory Irankunda goes boom
Australian football has never seen anything like Nestory Irankunda. In terms of pure talent and excitement and anticipation, the 17-year-old ball-booming attacker is a one-of-a-kind prospect coming out of the Aussie game.
His recent form has exploded too, much like his ball-striking. Five goals and two assists (including a first senior hat-trick) in his last four A-League games has seen his goal contribution tally jump to 14 for the season, ranking him in a top-ten that’s filled with aging pros.
His most recent goals showcase his extraordinary ball-striking ability and ever-improving deftness. The first was a right-footed piledriver from an acute angle and a long distance, and the second was a clippy left-footed finish on the run.
Needless to say, Bayern have got themselves a bargain in Irankunda. A smidge over €3 million was the fee it took to secure his signing for this coming summer, down-the-back-of-the-sofa change for the Bavarians – and a lot more European clubs. There’d be a zero to that fee if he was named Irankundão and played in Brazil.
Football Manager Corner
If you want to start a new FM24 save to see out the summer, now’s the time to do so. Sports Interactive dropped the final update of this edition last week and it included some big upgrades for some of our favourite young players.
Rafiu Durosinmi is one of those that’s seen his attributes, potential and reputations receive a really tasty bump. He’s gone from a project punt to a must-buy if you’re a mid-tier club looking for a physical centre-forward.
He’s a lesser version of Victor Osimhen or Victor Boniface: the 20-year-old combines speed and physicality with technical skill and an aggressive edge, creating a profile that has the ability to bully defenders and bag goals.
You can get him at the start of your saves for €6 million, a fee which is perfect for those of you that are managing clubs like Crystal Palace, or Valencia, or Bologna, or Stade Rennais. Durosinmi is a hidden gem.
SCOUTED’s Reading List
A little list of things we’ve read that we think you should also read
Archie Gray is the EFL Championship Young Player of the Season. Graham Smyth of the Yorkshire Evening Post managed to speak to him just after he won the award and the interview is worth a read.
Asia is growing quickly as a force in football. Our very own Stephen Ganavas used SkillCorner data to quanitfy just how good its leagues are and where they fit in the grander scheme of things. It’s great. Read it.
