Hi guys, I am from Brazil and have been a flamengo supporter for as long as I can remember. Since 2015 I've started watching Southampton games and have followed the team since.
I've followed Victor Hugo's career in Flamengo since 2021, when the team won the under 17 league with him. Matheus França, who plays for Cristal Palace now, was his teammate and Victor Hugo played like a number 8 with França playing more like a number 10.
After that, in 2022, he started playing for the first team at just 18 years old and in the second semester of that year seemed like Flamengo's next big gem. In 2023 he was a starter for the first team, playing in a midfield trio more from the right. He even started Brazil's final domestic cup at home in Maracanã in September and was playing really well. Here was his best match as a Flamengo player, in a cup semifinal away against Gremio.
After that, however, Flamengo's head coach Jorge Sampaoli was sacked and when Tite, the current coach, took charge, Victor Hugo was dropped from the team and hasn't been able to recover form since.
He is a very technically gifted left-footed midfielder, is strong and has a good passing range. He is not fast and may struggle as a winger. He can play well in the number 10 role or as a number 8.
To sum up, having him as a sweetner in a Alcaraz sale is very good value, because I can really see a path for him to become a starter here. He was almost sold for 20m a year ago and I believe that he has the potential to recover that form. He just need a good system and a coach that trusts him. I don't think that the Saints have a player like him in the squad.
Sorry for any mistakes as english is not my first language.
On to next game!
