He is only 18, but Luis Henrique does not put pressure on himself. The fact that his transfer cost OM about 10 million euros does not make him hot or cold. “There is always a lot of pressure in the big clubs, but we like what we do as players, so it’s normal”, he smiled, this Tuesday afternoon, during his presentation .
Luis Henrique has been warned: given the price of his transfer, OM supporters will be particularly demanding with him. Especially since the coach André Villas-Boas, praising, has increased expectations: “He is explosive, strong, has a very good state of mind. He has already adapted very well, he scored his first goal in training! “
The Brazilian, a training left winger, can also play in the axis. “I played once or twice as a center forward and with a good training, I feel capable of it,” he says. Does this versatility explain its high purchase price? “His price is below the average for Brazilian attacking players recruited by European clubs over the past three years,” retorts Pablo Longoria, general manager in charge of football.
Sports economist Loïc Ravenel nevertheless considers that OM have overpaid their fourth recruit a bit: “It’s a risky bet. He’s really starting out. Ten million euros is relatively expensive for a player who has only played seven games in the Brazilian 1st division. “Pablo Longoria defends his choice:” We will see in the future whether this price is expensive or cheap. But I think we invested the right number. “
This recruitment corresponds to the new Marseille policy: to engage in “player trading”, that is to say to attract young players with a strong potential in the hope of making a big added value on their resale. “His transfer gives the club heritage, it is an asset for the future,” explains Pablo Longoria. We must give value to the club, which this year finds itself deprived of ticket sales. “The arrival of Luis Henrique is symbolic for the owner of OM, Frank McCourt, who also praised the” recruitment of an important talent “. It was his first speech after months of silence.
“The moment is important with this arrival of a Brazilian nugget”, explains a relative. A nugget, really? Botafogo fans are convinced of this. “It’s an excellent signing for OM. If they have the patience to help him progress, he will become better than Neymar or Kylian Mbappé, ”Marco enthuses. For Pedro, “he’s a good finisher, with amazing dribbling and a lot of speed. It will certainly shine in Europe ”.
Many Brazilian fans also believe that Botafogo and Tres Passos (his training club) should have raised the stakes for this player coveted by several big European teams. “It was the main promise of the team, points out the journalist Julia Camacho. He has the potential to become a great player, especially since he is still very young. “
The fact that Luis Henrique is only 18 years old also increased his price. “The numbers are rising very quickly for young players because there is this idea that we can resell them extremely expensive,” recalls economist Loïc Ravenel. This is indeed the idea of the recruiters of OM, who hammer home that they have found a “nugget”. His nationality should also facilitate his resale: “It’s easier to sell a Brazilian than a player from the Faroe Islands … In the collective imagination, it’s more sales”, smiles Loïc Ravenel. The economists Simon Kuper and Stefan Szymanski have even proved that with equal competence and position, a Brazilian always costs more, because of this image reflected by his country.
OM supporters, depressed by the start of the season for their team, are for the moment benevolent with this new striker. “I think we got a good deal,” says Teo, an OM fan who also follows the South American championships. Henrique has a lot of room for improvement. With the visibility of the Champions League and a coach like André Villas-Boas, we will quickly make the 10 million euros profitable! “
