Born: 19 June 2002
Nationality: Portuguese
Position: Left-back / left winger
Club career: Sporting CP (2020-)
Nuno Mendes has been with Sporting since the age of ten, and made his senior debut earlier this year, aged 17. He is considered the best young talent at the club and a dead cert to transfer to one of Europe’s big leagues in the next few years. Liverpool and Arsenal are both reportedly interested in him, but they’re not the only ones who may wish to trigger the teenager’s £41m buy-out clause.
What makes him so good? Watch the goal he scored against Portimonense earlier this month and you’ll get a flavour of his prowess:
Dynamite. Even in that one clip, you can see why it’s predicted he’ll switch permanently from left-back, where he started his career, to left midfield – he has too much attacking potential to remain in a back four. Potential suitors will like the sound of Nuno’s character too. A recent story published in ‘Record’, Portugal’s foremost sports newspaper, commented on his shy personality and hard-working nature.
(Also, some of you might like to know, he’s supposed to be mustard in FIFA 21.)