Soccer Football - FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 - Round of 16 - Portugal v Switzerland - Lusail Stadium, Lusail, Qatar - December 6, 2022 Portugal's Goncalo Ramos celebrates scoring their fifth goal and his hat-trick REUTERS/Hannah Mckay
Transfer expert Dean Jones says that a shock Southampton move for Benfica and Portugal striker Goncalo Ramos in the January window is not ‘impossible’.
The Lowdown: Hat-trick hero
After coming into the starting line-up for Portugal in place of Cristiano Ronaldo for their last-16 clash against Switzerland in the FIFA World Cup in Qatar, Ramos managed to bag himself a hat-trick and an assist in a 6-1 demolition.
His performance would have certainly raised his profile further on the world stage, having scored 14 goals and made six assists in 21 games for Benfica in total over all competitions before the break (Transfermarkt).
The Saints have been linked with a move for Ramos, but the striker is sure to attract plenty of other interest in January given his World Cup exploits, with European heavyweights Bayern Munich, PSG and Juventus already reportedly sniffing around his signature.
The Latest: Not ‘impossible’
Speaking to GiveMeSport, Jones has claimed that a shock St. Mary’s move for Ramos is not ‘impossible’, and that he could ‘still become an option’ for Southampton in January:
“I’m not sure they actually are, I think they could still become an option if he does actually leave.
“I think the hat-trick obviously put him on the map, but the fact that there was no follow up on that, the fact he is now out of the tournament, it means there’s no further profile boost for him.
“And that probably helps clubs of that level because if he’d done it again, and suddenly he’s escalated and just kind of passed you by. But I’m not convinced that that’s impossible.”
The Verdict: Does seem difficult…
Even though a move for Ramos may not be impossible, it does still seem difficult for the Saints to be able to attract him, given the level of competition that they are likely to face for his signature.
Hailed as an ‘incredible talent‘ by football content creator Jacob Schneider after his fine opening goal for Portugal against Switzerland, the 21-year-old would surely aim higher than Southampton in terms of his next move, with them currently in the relegation zone in the Premier League.
Nonetheless, if the Saints can offer up the right amount of cash, then they may still have a chance of signing him in January.
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