Home of an abundance of talented youngsters, Primeira Liga has showcased another lethal striker in his early days. Recruited in 2013 from Bahia, Anderson Talisca joined Benfica for  a cut-price €4 million fee. Alternating his role between attacking midfielder and striker, it took the Brazilian international a little while to settle in, before readying himself for the 2014/15 season with his new club. As Rodrigo joined Valencia on a one-year loan, the Benfica faithful needed to inject their hopes into the 20 year-old striker who was yet to make an appearance from the club… The rest, well looks bright for fans.
Standing at 6ft 2, the powerful  talisman has taken Europe by storm, firing in 9 goals in 14 appearances. Stealing the show in Portugal and exploding onto the stage, Talisca is cruising in pole position for the Golden Boot on an 8 impressive goals. Not only has he mastered the knack of finishing in his domestic league, he scored the only goal of the game to defeat Monaco 1-0 in the Champions League; the biggest stage of all. Much hype has surrounded the young starlet and as always the rumour-mill has begun. He’s been linked with Chelsea, Bayern, Manchester City and Arsenal within the last few weeks, but will a price tag of €40 million put these clubs off, or on alert.
As a neutral it’s fair to say if you haven’t heard of him or seen him play. A passionate fanatic on the other hand will have heard this striker’s name daily, with hope and potential branded alongside. For those unaware, his versatility in position is bred through his physique. His tall and powerful structure allows him to dominate the final third, initiating attacks with his burst of pace and long legs. When playing in this advanced role he is described as ‘Yaya Talisca’ in comparison to Manchester City’s Ivorian: Yaya Toure. With City lurking, and desiring a replacement for the ageing international, Talisca may just be the perfect fit. His long legs aid his dribbling, a close control player who is always aware of what is ahead of him. With his passing not at a complete level, his preferred position is as lone striker, where he seems most worthy.
Born and bred in Brazil, a certain flair-based game is acquired by Anderson Talisca. His ability to beat an opponent with ease and casual trickery is jaw-dropping for the spectators but murder for defenders. To complete his game, a powerful finish and end product to his game has already been mastered at the raw age of 20. Portrayed through his goal-scoring record this season, his prolific rate has earned him a call-up to Dunga’s Brazilian squad for the mid-week friendlies in place of an injured Lucas Moura. Exciting times for the Brazilian dubbed the next ‘Rivaldo’, but can he live up to the hype?
In terms of ‘should Arsenal splash the cash for this player?’ It has to be a no. The fee is a lot of money for someone of that age, and you feel that by competing with the likes of City, United and Bayern we stand little chance. Wenger is fond of his young players, but has branded faith into Yaya Sanogo, a player with similar abilities, however he is yet to deliver at club level. If the fee were to be dropped, Talisca would be a superb signing. His hunger and desire to succeed is matched by his sought-after skillset, and bags of potential too. Highly scouted around Europe, will Arsenal be the first to get their hands of the next big thing: Anders Talisca?