West Ham United supporters expecting Goncalo Cardoso to challenge for a starting spot this season may not be wrong, but where should he really be in the pecking order?
According to football.london, Manuel Pellegrini wants the 18-year-old to immediately join up with the first-team squad ahead of this weekend’s Premier League opener.
The Boavista centre-back is expected to complete a £2.4million move in the coming days but was initially thought to be joining the U23s as young players have in the past.
Read West Ham verdict
You know the old saying – if you’re good enough you’re old enough. Pellegrini obviously sees a lot of talent in Cardoso and including him in cup matches and occasionally sending him down to the U23s could be the best way to introduce him to English football.
At the end of the Cardoso article posted earlier, I asked where fans believe he should fit in the pecking order for the 2019-20 season. Surprisingly, 57% of voters put him in third, you’d presume in front of Angelo Ogbonna and Winston Reid.
Both players may be 31 years old now but it’s an unexpected reaction nonetheless. You could make a case for Cardoso stealing Reid’s spot with injuries and all but Ogbonna still has plenty to offer and it’s more likely he’ll be the fourth choice.
