Name: Ryan Gauld

Date of Birth: 16th December 1995

Age: 18

Position: Midfielder

Club: Sporting Lisbon

Nationality: Scottish

T here are few Scottish 18-year-olds that have had the kind of success that Ryan Gauld has had so far, but then Gauld isn’t like most other home-grown Scottish talents. With comparisons to Lionel Messi, a move to Sporting Lisbon this summer for a rumoured £3million and a subsequent inclusion in his new club’s Champions League squad already under his teenage belt, last week’s Scotland call-up is just the next step in what has the potential to be a stellar career.

Who is Ryan Gauld?

Born in Aberdeen in 1995, and raised in the Aberdeenshire town of Laurencekirk, Gauld began his career with youth side Brechin City Boys Club before joining the Dundee United youth setup in 2006. From the age of 16 Gauld was already making waves at the Scottish Premier League side and made his first team debut as an 87th minute sub in the last game of the 2011/12 season. His first goal came in his first start for the club, in a league game against St Johnstone the following April.

By the 2013/14 season Gauld was already courting attention from clubs south of the border, with then Manchester United boss David Moyes leading the charge to land the youngster’s signature. Gauld’s final season at Tannadice was a success – he played an important part in the final stages of Dundee United’s run to the Scottish Cup final, having a hand in two of the goals in the 3-1 win over Rangers in the semi-final at Ibrox.

In all, Gauld picked up eight goals in 38 games and a place on the short-list for the PFA Scotland Young Player of the Year award (in the end it was won by Gauld’s teammate Andrew Robertson).

This summer, Gauld hit the headlines when Sporting Lisbon announced they had signed him from the Tangerines on a six-year contract for an undisclosed fee. Starting his career at the club with Sporting B, while training with the first team, Gauld made his debut for the B-team on August 10 as a half-time sub in a 1-0 away defeat to Farense. He scored his first goal for the club in his fourth game – the second of a 3-0 home win over Desportivo Aves.

But, despite his current B-team status, Gauld was named in Sporting’s 25-man squad to face Chelsea, Schalke and NK Maribor in the Champions League. Then, less than a month after scoring his first goals for Billy Stark’s Scotland Under-21 squad (a brace in a 3-0 win over Luxembourg), Gauld was called up to the senior squad by manager Gordon Strachan.

Playing style

An attacking midfielder, Gauld has a technical ability that far surpassed many of his Scottish peers last season. And, despite interest from English clubs, Gauld always had the continent in mind for a move away from Tannadice after admitting that he far preferred the Spanish style of play. Easily comfortable with the ball at his feet, Gauld has the kind of natural touch that is far from the norm in Scotland.

Gauld has an incredible turn of pace and ability in tight spaces that would leave many defenders scratching their heads. It was his creativity and ability to dictate play last season that did so much to benefit Dundee United’s league campaign.

Had Gauld remained in Scotland, the harshness of the game could have become more of a challenge due to his smaller stature, with strength being his most prominent weakness (he weighs in at a miniscule 59kgs). At only 5’6”, Gauld admitted in an interview with The Guardian:

“Growing up, I watched the Spanish leagues and prefer the style of that. Getting the ball down and being patient with the buildup play. In England, it’s maybe more direct. If you are a winger you are expected to take on a full-back and get a cross in. If it’s abroad, you can turn out, keep the ball and just keep the attack going. Abroad you see more players who are smaller in stature. In England, it’s more athletes. Me being a smaller guy I need to think about what’s best for me and what’s best around me and I think being abroad is the best culture of football for me.”

What does the manager think?

Sporting boss Marco Silva was reported as saying Gauld was struggling to settle after his move in the summer and so the decision was made to drop him to the B side while remaining in training with the first team. However, Gauld has obviously impressed in order to be included in the Champions League side.

At 18, Gauld is very much still developing as a player and the drop to the B side is hardly cause for concern, saying himself that it was always part of his development plan. His performances so far show that he is already starting to settle into the new way of life and it’s surely only a matter of time before he becomes a permanent part of the first team.

As for the Scotland boss, speaking in July this year after Gauld’s move to Portugal, Strachan said:

“It is a brave move from Ryan. I like what he has done. It will be great now to watch his improvement. I really don’t know how it will affect his development, we will have to monitor it and see how he gets on.”

While remaining philosophical at the time in regards to whether Gauld was likely for a call-up to the Scottish senior squad in the near future, it’s clear Strachan has been impressed enough with the youngster’s development to include him in the squad to face Georgia in the Euro qualifier this month.

How far can he go?

Gauld had already gone further than many of his compatriots who leave Scotland for a perceived brighter future in the English leagues only to sink into relative obscurity before jumping back over the border again a few years later. Self-aware and showing maturity far beyond his years, Gauld was smart enough to know the environment to move to in order to give his career the best opportunity to flourish.

On signing Gauld in July, Sporting included a £48m buy-out clause with his six-year contract potentially keeping him at the club until 2020. And while the beginning of his career in Portugal might not have gone as some expected, it’s the most sensible and grounded way to handle the player’s development. And let’s remember, this is the club that has developed the likes of Luis Figo and Cristiano Ronaldo – that can’t help but be a good omen for Gauld’s future.

S porting Lisbon president Bruno de Carvalho has lavished praise on the youngster in recent weeks and expects that he will become a regular in the first team within the next two-to-three years.

While comparisons with Messi may be a little premature, there are similarities in their styles of play that could see Gauld continue to ascend in his career if he works hard and, given his size, bulks up to better handle inevitable hard knocks.

RECOMMENDED READ: Scotland ’74 – A World Cup Story, by Richard Gordon

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