Paulo Henrique Ganso is that rarest of beast in the world of modern football; a languid, elegant playmaker who depends almost entirely on his wand of a left foot to unlock opposing defences. Ganso, as he is most commonly known, is a footballing artist, shunning physicality for complete control of the ball lying at his feet. Comparisons with Boca Juniors legend Juan Roman Riquelme are frequent and there are a number of similarities in the two players’ respective games. However, whilst seldom addressed in the Brazilian media, there is also a gaping disparity between the duo’s performances on the pitch in terms of both quality and consistency.
Ganso, at just 22-years-old, has already achieved much in his Santos career. He is a Copa Libertadores winner, a Brazilian Cup winner and multiple São Paulo state championship winner, but there is emerging a nagging sense that he has plateaued as a footballer over the past eighteen months. For all his various successes, the young star has rarely put in top performances against better opponents, particularly when in Copa Libertadores action or the colours of the national team. In fact, there are some who would say that the playmaker’s only sustained periods of form have come in the somewhat lower-level of the state championships, or whilst playing alongside both Robinho and Neymar at Santos.
Injuries have hampered the youngster throughout his professional career. Indeed, Ganso has missed well over half of Santos’ last two seasons with major knee injuries, as well as other lesser muscle tears. That in itself would be enough to set alarm bells ringing in the heads of directors at many top European sides and surely was a factor as to why AC Milan went quiet on the midfielder last summer, when it had seemed as though the Rossoneri were in pole position to secure his future.
Just as worrying, though, for the long-term future of one of Santos’ famous ‘Meninos da Vila’ combination of Neymar, Robinho, André and Ganso himself, is the fact that there is little sign of progression in his game on the pitch. The 2012 season thus far has been disappointing for the Brazilian international, often finding himself unable to dictate play on the big stage – a skill that Riquelme, for his part, has long-since mastered.
The enganche, or traditional number ten figure, is somewhat of a dying art in both Europe and its traditional heartland of South America, and in the modern, overly physical, footballing world is becoming an ever more difficult position to fill. It is a role that requires great intelligence and supreme reading of the game, without demanding great strength or pace. Riquelme is the undisputed modern master, but there are few others. Ganso has shown glimpses, but when faced with the all-action combative midfielders that European football produces in abundance, has struggled to find space in the way that Riquelme, or the deeper-lying Paul Scholes and Andrea Pirlo manage so effectively.
The Santos star must adapt in order to develop and recent contract disputes with Santos present a perfect opportunity to make the leap to European football, which Ganso, much more than Neymar, requires to progress. Contract disputes and talk of departure for pastures new have been somewhat of a theme throughout Ganso’s Santos career to date, leading some to believe his heart and mind have not always been focused on the job at hand, but it seems it may now finally be time for Ganso to continue his career elsewhere.
However, for Ganso, as with Lucas Moura, talk in European media of a move to the likes of Manchester United or Chelsea is premature – he is simply not at that level. Whilst with 19-year-old Lucas it is a matter of maturing in his decision making, which could be overcome with a gradual introduction to first-team football at a top side, for Ganso it is a different issue. An enganche relies heavily on experience and know-how, which would be hard to acquire resting on a substitutes bench for a European giant, whilst recent talk of a move to England belies the fact that the Premier League is perhaps the destination to which he would be least suited.
Ganso must either learn how to influence play from his current role, by finding space and moving to the ball, or adapt to a new style of play. Watching the young playmaker in the 2011 Copa America fail to deal with the unceasing harrying of the Paraguayan midfield was a wake-up call for many observers and the problems have still yet to be addressed. Ganso simply does not put himself in the right areas of the pitch, a skill that the afore mentioned modern playmakers have perfected over the years. This will no doubt come with age, but players are not afforded that amount of time at top sides. To succeed at one of the European giants Ganso would be required to adapt quickly and succinctly to his new surroundings – not easy for someone still learning their art.
That is where many in the European media have been misguided in recent days, thrown by the hype that had emerged from Brazil surrounding the duo of Neymar and Ganso. Unfortunately for the latter, that talk is now solely based around his mohicaned colleague who has, thus far, risen to every challenge in his career with aplomb. The footballing world is still waiting for Ganso to do the same. The 2012 Olympic Games were supposed to be his time to shine, but in recent times that vision has also begun to look shaky with the emergence of 20-year-old attacking midfielder Oscar as a potentially better playmaker option for Mano Menezes’ side. The Internacional man, linked with Tottenham, is a completely different style of playmaker, full of pace and energy, always looking to keep possession of the ball – much more ‘modern’ iteration of the much-vaunted number 10 role.
Ganso has in the past been the subject of bids from Porto and Paris Saint-Germain, both of which were swiftly rejected by Santos who are looking for an overly-ambitious sum of in excess of €20 million for the injury-prone playmaker – they would by lucky to get €15 million at present. At either club mentioned, there would be potential for a much smoother transition to the European game, with Ligue 1 and the Liga Sagres both prime locations for South American talents to adapt to the demands of the Old Continent. Ganso, more than most, needs this lessened pressure if he is to fulfil his potential.
There is no doubt that the Santos man is a rare talent and he has shown, when on form, just what he can produce given the right conditions – see the 2011 Copa Libertadores final second-leg with Peñarol. For the moment, though, he is saddled with the burden of his early hype and the media tide in Brazil is beginning to turn, with the unwanted tag of ‘unfulfilled potential’ in danger of becoming firmly attached to his name. The time is undoubtedly right for a move and this next step could ultimately decide how Ganso’s career will be regarded. A rumoured move to Manchester United, though, could turn out to be an expensive nightmare for both player and club. That story, I would suggest, is little more than over-enthusiastic press speculation.
