Jota Silva – Grealish de Guimarães
Wingers named Jota have become popular in Britain wherever they pass, and the next along the Portuguese production line of Jota’s is the man dubbed the Portuguese Grealish in João Pedro Ferreira Silva, the international forward who through a brilliant season at Vitória SC has caught the attention of a proactive West Ham, who have already ventured in the Portuguese speaking market in Brazil this summer.
11 goals and 5 assists in 33 games earned Jota Silva 10 Man of the Match awards (Only Viktor Gyokeres earned more), which subsequently cemented his Liga Portugal Betclic 2023-24 Team of the Season place among names such as João Neves, Pedro Gonçalves and Ousmane Diomande.
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The 24-year-old attacker was also named the Player and Forward of the Month of March – where he scored in five consecutive league games running into April. As aforementioned, Jota Silva is a Portuguese international – making his debut at the stadium where he plays his club football, the Estádio D. Afonso Henriques where Jota received a heartwarming, overwhelming and passionate standing ovation upon entering the field of play.
Doing so without ever playing for one of the traditional ‘Big 3’ (Benfica, Porto and Sporting) is quite a feat – more so considering he started his career at Sousense, a side in the district divisions of Porto. Before Jota, Sousense never had a player on their books that had reached the first division. But now, they housed and nursed a player that would go on to represent the country in preparation for a major tournament.
Two short spells at Paços de Ferreira (Under-19s, on loan) and Leixões (only 13 games played) would lead Jota to an exciting project in Pina Manique. Jota Silva would become to make a name for himself at Casa Pia, taking the ‘gansos’ from Liga Portugal SABSEG (Second division) football to the pinnacle of Portuguese football in his second season as a 22-year-old winger.
Jota Silva typically explodes in terms of productivity in his second season wherever he passes – from 5 goals and assists in 17 games in his first season for Casa Pia, the Gondomar native contributed to 14 goals the following season in twice as many appearances. A pattern repeated at Vitória SC equally, although it is important to underline that he was used as a wing-back primarily in his debut season for the ‘vimaranenses’.
Vitória’s number 11 is a versatile asset for any club – able to play on the last shoulder as a central vocal point, or a left-sided attacker where he shines, as an attacking wing-back as aforementioned or winger exploiting space in between the lines and in behind.
David Moyes’ West Ham traditionally appreciated efficient and physically capable attackers to exploit quick, vertical transitional play, and Jota Silva aligns with this philosophy despite the appointment of Julen Lopetegui, who prioritises possession more than his Scottish predecessor.
Jota Silva may share some similarities with Grealish, but his nickname isn’t explained by his style of play (ask Bernardo Silva). Jota is more energetic and unpredictable than his English counterpart nowadays. If Pep Guardiola looks to Jack Grealish for control, then ‘Os Conquistadores’ look to Jota for chaos.
The Portuguese winger is possessive and untirable in his pursuit to exploit space and explore the final third. A player who will never decelerate or lose enthusiasm. His speed, agility and engine are tailored to this style of play.
Despite characteristics what could point towards naivety, Jota shows intelligence in finding and exploring space with cute, timed off the ball movement and technically proficient drives with the ball. He demonstrates this intelligence further with his dribbling, forcing fouls from opposing defenders and offering an element of surprise merely when appropriate and in efficient fashion.
For those accompanying the European Championships in Germany, and more specifically, the English National Team: Jota Silva is precisely the final-third player that many would appreciate in the final-third, forcing an option for defence splitting and bypassing opportunities. And he can finish too. Jota never squirms or panics in isolated situations. He assumes that responsibility with conviction as a solid ball-striker.
For this reason, it would be appropriate to imagine that Jota Silva would offer an interesting solution to West Ham as an impact substitute, or a left-sided offensive minded player who can combine with his fellow left-sided counterpart with some fluidity, holding the responsibility of stretching the opposition defence.
A player to exploit space created naturally by the typically Spanish philosophy that Julen Lopetegui will certainly look to implement at the London Stadium, a style of play that can appreciated as a viable, useful option at any club.
A 20 million euro release clause may be rendered irrelevant as the summer transfer window drags on, as Jota Silva contract expires next summer. Vitória will insist on receiving the majority of that figure, however, as they owe a substantial percentage to his previous club (notably 30% of any future fee to Casa Pia).
No matter where Jota Silva ends up playing his football next season, expect fireworks from the Portuguese Grealish.
By: Kevin Araujo Fernandes / @kevinaraujof
Featured Image: @GabFoligno / Diogo Cardoso / Getty Images