Who Is Vitinha?
Talent residing from Portugal has always been on the radars of clubs across Europe, and Wolverhampton Wanderers are notorious for their recruitment policy, finding the best young talent of Portuguese descent or from within the Primeira Liga.
This trend began in 2016 while playing in the EFL Championship; Wolves acquired Hélder Costa from SL Benfica and Ivan Cavaleiro from AS Monaco in Ligue 1.
The following season, Rúben Neves was brought to the Midlands club from FC Porto and has now transformed into a household Premier League name.
As Wolves eventually achieved promotion to the top flight of English football, their Portuguese contingent grew stronger, with the addition of Nélson Semedo and Diogo Jota, who now plays his football further north in England for Liverpool.
The players mentioned have cemented themselves as regulars for the Wolves and are well-known around the league.
With this being said, one name that has slipped under the radar is Vítor Ferreira, also known as Vitinha.
Vitinha was signed on loan from FC Porto in 2020 and made 19 appearances, including five starts, but failed to meet the standards set by former Wolves and Tottenham Hotspur manager Nuno Espírito Santo.
As a result, Wolves decided not to exercise their £16M buy option.
Vitinha is now back at FC Porto, showcasing all that was promised of him on his loan spell in England, and with the performances he has been displaying so far this season, Premier League fans will surely know his name if they fail to recognise him before.
This tactical analysis and Vitinha scout report will delve into the inner workings of Vitinhas style of play, as well as how his multi-faceted approach makes him a special talent on the European scene.
Vitinha Position & Style Of Play
Vitinha occupied a central midfield role in a double-pivot during his loan spell at Wolves within a 3-4-3 formation, and now at FC Porto, he plays in a 4-4-2 formation.
When stationed in the middle of the park, the Portuguese can utilise all the qualities he possesses, as within a midfield position, he is tasked with operating in each third and contributing both offensively and defensively.
On an international front, Vitinha excelled during Portugal’s run to the U21 European Championship final, playing as an interior (wide midfielder) in a 4-4-2 diamond, where he could operate in the half-spaces and combine and interchange in wide areas.
So far, during Vitinha’s young career, he has mostly been used as a midfield number 8, although he can also function elsewhere.
Vitinha has many strings to his bow, and this will be discussed throughout.
Vitinha Heat Map & Positions
Vitinha Creative Passing
The young midfielder is a creative passer, but it is important to acknowledge that he is not of the mould of a Kevin De Bruyne or Nabil Fekir in that regard.
Vitinha is not an outright assister, but he is a key contributor in attack, as he provides the killer ball into the penalty area or in and around the box for wingers and strikers to finish the move.
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