On deadline day, Real Madrid came to an agreement with Rennes and signed an 18-year-old French midfield prodigy, Eduardo Camavinga on a 30 million euro – plus add-ons – deal. The need for a midfielder was eminent in the Spanish Capital and Camavinga was always in the discussion as the biggest prospect in midfield.
He’d be working as a rotational piece for Carlos Casemiro and would be one that the club would see as a cornerstone of their future midfield three. On that note, here are five things that you need to know about Real Madrid’s latest smart buy.
1. Eduardo Camavinga’s versatile play makes him an attacking threat
The first thing of interest to note about Camavinga is his versatility on the pitch. He is capable of playing anywhere in the middle of the park. At Rennes, Camavinga was largely seen in a 4-3-3 or a 4-1-4-1 while also sometimes using a two-man midfield in a 4-2-3-1 or 4-4-2. His natural position would be the right of the central midfield.
His role is largely transitional being the player who drops back to collect the ball and bring it out from the back. He succeeds in doing so in tight spaces using his quick feet, exceptional dribbling skills, and control to evade opposition press. He has exceptional body shape while receiving balls and drops his center of gravity to turn away from defenders. All these qualities together make him very press resistant.
He is a bundle of energy in the middle of the park. He passes quickly and moves to a more favorable position to receive a pass back. This means that even when his passing is conservative, he finds space to take the ball. This way, he both, recycles possession and then is in a position to do something more aggressive with it.
Camavinga likes influencing games and is often on the hunt for an opportunity to do so. He is always looking to play forward, through the lines, or carry it, even if there is more than one opponent to beat. As a left-footed player operating on the right, he can drive balls up the pitch vertically or open his body and send passes out towards the left with ease.