Scout Report – Zeca
Liverpool have been targeting Santos left-back Zeca since the summer, but the club could finally see him sign the dotted line in January. The player is currently embroiled in a lot of controversy with his club. The 23-year-old will reportedly take Santos to court in an attempt to get his existing contract cancelled after an alleged disagreement over money owed to him.
It remains to be seen how the legal battle turns out but this could be an ideal time for the Merseyside club to make a move. The player was also a target for Benfica but as of now, Liverpool look like the front-runners to land him in the winter.
History
Born in Parana in 1994, Zeca joined Santos’ youth setup in 2006 at the age of 11. In 2014, Zeca made his debut for the club and wasted no time in establishing himself. Zeca went on to appear in 15 league matches during the campaign, being challenged by Eugenio Mena and fellow youth graduate Caju.
In the 2015 campaign, he was rarely used by managers Enderson Moreira and Marcelo Fernandes, being nearly loaned to Columbus Crew in July. He fought for his place though, and things did improve for him until this nasty financial issue popped up.
Playing Style
Zeca’s strength lies in his inane passing abilities. He is quite adept at holding on to the ball and is good when it comes to building possession. His tackles and reading of the game remain unparalleled in the Santos side. The player’s focus is another asset of his. His concentration almost never wavers, making him a defender who’d give his all throughout the game.
However, the player is weak when it comes to aerial duels which could be an issue for a club like Liverpool that has suffered in set-piece situations before.
Zeca’s Future
A future at Liverpool will certainly prove to be a brighter prospect considering the nasty drama happening with his current club. What’s most notable about Zeca is the fact that he’s completely two-footed. So he shouldn’t face problems when it comes to cutting inside and using his right, or overlapping and crossing with his left. One of Liverpool’s problems has been James Milner’s inability to do the latter.
He’s quick and good at going forward but it remains to be seen how quickly he can adapt to the Premier League. Having said that, Zeca could prove to be an upgrade when it comes to Liverpool’s current options at left-back.