The man who won the Puskás
Ask any football fan about Guilherme Madruga and one image comes to mind: an impossible overhead kick scored for Náutico in Brazil’s Série C, the strike that won the FIFA Puskás Award for goal of the year in 2023.
That goal took him from the third tier to Cuiabá in Serie A and eventually to Shandong Luneng in China. And that is where the market lost track of him. Our daily scan has not.
What the model sees
| Metric | Value |
|---|---|
| OVR | 75 |
| Age | 25 |
| Position | CM |
| League | Chinese Super League |
| Market value | €490K – €800K |
| UV score | 99 |
| Deal score | 84 |
| Contract | Expires December 2026 |
The AI reasoning reads: a UV score of 99 signals significant undervaluation, and his contract expiring in 3 months makes him available at a discount. A 75 OVR central midfielder is a rotation-grade player in any top European league, and the model prices him at less than a squad goalkeeper costs in the Championship.
Why the price is wrong
The Chinese Super League discount is real and often irrational. Visibility collapses, European scouting departments stop logging matches, and perfectly good Brazilian midfielders get repriced as if they had declined. Madruga’s engine, pressing range, and two-way output have not gone anywhere.
At 25 he is entering his prime with a full professional education across three continents. For a mid-table club in the Netherlands, Portugal, Turkey, or even the Championship, he is a ready-made midfield body at nearly zero acquisition cost once the window mechanics allow.
The 3-month window
Madruga can sign a pre-contract immediately with any foreign club, and Shandong face the choice every Chinese side now knows well: take a token fee now or wave goodbye in December. The leverage belongs entirely to the buyer.
AI Verdict: Strong Buy
Deal score 84, UV score 99, prime age, and the most spectacular highlight reel of any player on today’s value board. The Puskás trophy collects dust; the discount does not last.
View full profile and AI-powered transfer intelligence at skouted.ai