Luciano Spalletti makes no secret of his admiration for Francisco Conceição. The Juventus manager has watched the winger excel in Serie A week in, week out and draws a comparison with a big name. According to the experienced coach, the young Portuguese player bears a resemblance to none other than Mohamed Salah.
In an interview withSky Italia, Spalletti elaborated on the winger’s qualities, having been permanently signed by theOld Lady last summer. He sees in Conceição the same explosiveness and dribbling ability that have made the Egyptian Liverpool player a global star.
Nevertheless, the experienced coach also sees room for improvement in the Portuguese player. “He needs to play a bit more centrally. On the flanks, he is already often unstoppable,” the manager notes. The forward’s runs cause panic among Serie A defenders every week, but Spalletti demands greater versatility.
In addition to his positioning, Spalletti sees two other key areas for improvement for the 23-year-old striker. “He needs to develop his decision-making and the ability to assess his passing options in one-on-one situations,”
In the summer of 2022, FC Porto loaned Conceição to Ajax. In Amsterdam, he made 28 appearances. In those 28 matches, the Portuguese player scored one goal for the Amsterdam side, after which Porto recalled him. Last summer, the winger moved to Turin for €32 million.
Now that Salah has announced he will leave Liverpool at the end of this season, Anfield is buzzing with rumours about a successor. The focus is said to be on Conceição, who is on the list. The two players share many similarities in terms of playing style. “It’s a fair comparison,” said Spalletti.
Conceição has already played 35 matches this season, scoring four goals and providing four assists.