What Would Free Agent Jonas Goncalves Add to Tottenham Hotspur?
Valencia's decision to terminate Jonas Goncalves' contract opens the door to Tottenham Hotspur, but would he be a smart acquisition?
Why Spurs Should Sign Jonas
Having been linked to Spurs, per Simon Jones at the Daily Mail, Jonas would be a luxury squad player for manager Mauricio Pochettino.
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Jonas and struggling Spurs centre-forward Roberto Soldado combined for 36 goals at Valencia during the 2012-13 La Liga season.
The presence of Jonas can spur Soldado to avoid becoming the Spanish Sergei Rebrov.
| Jonas | 2013-14 | 2012-13 | 2011-12 | 2010-11 |
| Goals/Games | 10/31 | 13/34 | 10/34 | 3/13 |
| Starting % | 74.19 | 85.29 | 67.65 | 61.53 |
For three successive seasons, Jonas has reached 10 goals in league-play.
In two of his four seasons, Jonas interchanged from the starting XI to the bench, therefore he is not going to arrive at Spurs with the mentality of being an undisputed starter.
Jonas once scored 42 goals in a season for Gremio, has represented the Brazilian national team, and was an underappreciated contributor at Valencia.
"Jonas with a goodbye letter to VCF & Valencianistas. Valencia should be the one thanking here. pic.twitter.com/xnClIZwcgb
— Michael Jacobsen (@VCF_Nordic) September 7, 2014"
Jonas has a CV which would pass Spurs chairman Daniel Levy's test when it comes to signing experienced free agents:
- Louis Saha (2012)
- Brad Friedel (2011)
- William Gallas (2010)
- Carlo Cudicini (2009)
- Edgar Davids (2005)
Why Spurs Should Not Sign Jonas
What do Samuele Longo and Sam Gallagher have in common?
They are young centre-forwards who were given chances by Pochettino at Espanyol and Southampton respectively.
Pochettino, a great talent spotter, should seriously consider Harry Kane as an alternative to starting centre-forward Emmanuel Adebayor.
"I have always believed in Harry [Kane] since the first day," Pochettino said, per Simon Peach at the Press Association (h/t the Daily Mail). "He has a very strong mind and is a very good player."
Signing Jonas would hinder Harry Kane's development at Spurs.
Kane, a prolific scorer at youth international level, is a 21-year-old up-and-coming English star.
"If you get the ball into the box, [Kane is] a real danger and he's a very, very good finisher, which we see all the time in training," England U21 manager Gareth Southgate said, per Nicholas Veevers at The FA. "He works at it and, over the last six months with Spurs, he's started to transfer that onto the pitch as well."
While Jonas and Soldado were successful at Valencia, they are not going to be playing in the same starting XI at Spurs.
By signing Jonas, Spurs would be forcing him to compete with Soldado for the super-sub role, which can further impact the Spanish international's already fragmented confidence.
Scouting Jonas
| Brazil | CF/DLF | 30 | 5'11" | 161 lbs |
Able to lead the line or play behind the No. 9 as a deep-lying forward, Jonas is a crafty scorer.
Jonas' eight minute hat-trick against Osasuna last December was clinical, dominant and efficient.
Scoring a 93rd-minute stoppage-time winner against Granada showed Jonas' natural tendency to sneak into the box unmarked.
With a knack for late heroics, Jonas was clutch when he headed home a 92nd-minute winner against Real Valladolid.
Angling in from the right, Jonas shot the ball with his opposite foot (left) into the bottom corner against Sevilla with real finesse.
Being a two-footed finisher is an outstanding trait to have.
Does Jonas have the temperament to succeed in the Premier League?
Amid La Liga's hypercritical officiating standards, Jonas would often get himself into petty disputes and risk pointless bookings.
While then-Sevilla (now Liverpool) left-back Alberto Moreno pulled an acting masterpiece that even Javier Bardem would be proud of, Jonas' arm should not have been anywhere near Moreno.
Jonas lost the plot when he assaulted Real Sociedad central midfielder David Zurutuza (Jonas, you're not Jon "Bones" Jones).
Bottom Line
Jonas faces the same quandary good top-flight footballers encounter: possesses the quality to play in Europe, but not a world-class player.
Right now Jonas is in the power position.
It would be surprising if Jonas signed for Spurs to be a backup centre-forward.
Why be hidden in the crowd as a solid pro when it would be more financially alluring to be the star on a foreign team?
Wealthy non-European clubs do not want average players, yet conversely they can't sign the creme de la creme, thus resulting in a market for above average footballers earning a marquee salary.
- Alessandro Diamanti: Bologna → Guangzhou Evergrande (2014)
- Didier Ya Konan: Hannover 96 → Al-Ittihad (2014)
- Vladimir Weiss: Olympiacos → Lekhwiya (2014)
- Asamoah Gyan: Sunderland → Al Ain (2012)
This was explained by former Liverpool player Titi Camara when he was on the books of Saudi Arabian club Al-Ittihad.
"I never imagined [playing in Saudi Arabia] would prove so lucrative," Camara said in 2003, per Paul Smith at the Daily Mirror. "Everytime I feel sorry for myself I just take a look at my standard of living and count my money."
Sure, Jonas would bolster Spurs' forward-line, but if he doesn't arrive, it would be a blessing in disguise for Kane.
Statistics via WhoScored
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