Samu Omorodion came close to joining Chelsea in the summer before his switch to Porto (Reuters)
Porto striker Samu Omorodion has been tipped to become Spain’s new leading forward for the next decade.
The 20-year-old came close to joining Chelsea in the summer transfer window after a €40 million (£34.5m) deal had been agreed with Atletico Madrid.
However, Chelsea had concerns over an ankle issue during Omorodion’s medical, while the striker was unhappy with the Premier League club’s request over image rights and the move ended up collapsing in early August.
Porto went on to sign Omorodion from Atletico for an initial €15m (£12.7m) for 50 per cent of his rights, while the Portuguese club have the option to purchase a further 30 per cent for €10m (£8.3m) by 2026.
Omorodion has made an excellent start to his career in Portugal, scoring seven goals in seven appearances so far, two of which came in a brilliant display against Manchester United in the Europa League earlier this month.
Earlier this week, Omorodion scored four for Spain’s Under-21s in their 6-0 win against Malta and former Atletico scout, Javier Vidales, says La Roja have found their new star striker for the next 10 years.
‘He will be the next No.9 of the national team and for many years. For the next decade… at least. I’m almost certain he’ll go to the World Cup,’ Vidales told Record.
Samuel Omorodion impressed in Porto’s draw against Manchester United earlier this month (AFP via Getty)
Vidales admits he did not have a hand in bringing Omorodion to Atletico, but feels having the 20-year-old in the team ‘is like playing with two attackers’.
‘When talking about Samu, people tend to focus on physical condition. But it goes much further than that,’ Vidales said.
‘He is not just a robust striker, who plays with his back to goal and keeps possession of the ball, distributing it to his teammates. He is very intelligent. Playing with just him is like playing with two attackers but having only just one.
‘Samu plays the role of two strikers. A reference, which keeps the defenders busy, and other who searches for spaces. This means that if you close your spaces, it receives as a No.9 reference. If they block him, he is capable of finding spaces.
‘He has a lot ahead of him and, on top of that, he is hungry. He comes from a humble family and has a great desire to learn.
‘Given the way he plays, the football he plays in the Portuguese league and his constant presence in the Champions League, Porto are the perfect club for him.’
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