Crespo: Ramos is not a goalscorer and his price puts him under pressure

Argentinian Hernán Crespo, coach of Atlas and former striker, has criticized the high expectations surrounding Portuguese Gonçalo Ramos, striker for Milan, stating that the player cannot be considered a top-class goalscorer despite possessing good technical abilities.

Hernán Crespo, in statements to "La Gazzetta dello Sport", said: "I know Gonçalo Ramos, he is a good player and an excellent striker, and goals will come sooner or later. But considering the money that was paid to sign him, fans were expecting a top-class goalscorer, and the Portuguese has never been a flawless finisher. Go and look at his numbers throughout his career and you will find the answers you are looking for."

He added: "In the last three seasons with Paris Saint-Germain, Ramos scored 53 goals in 131 matches, which means he does not have an exceptional scoring rate, as he has not scored even a goal every two matches. Also, despite making good contributions, he was not a permanent starter under Luis Enrique in the team that won the Champions League twice in a row. He is a good player, for sure, but he cannot be described as a world-class player."

In contrast, Crespo defended Ramos' style, asserting that the player offers a lot to the team beyond scoring goals. He said: "Ramos puts in a crazy effort on the pitch and always puts himself at the service of the team. This is not a simple matter. If, after all this work, he also scored goals, we would be looking at an exceptional player."

He explained: "His style of play is very distinctive; he likes to interact with his teammates, drop back to receive the ball, and create space for his teammates' runs. These are important details that should not be underestimated when evaluating a player. It is true that a striker is expected to score goals; he was born for that and earns his wages to achieve this task, but he can still be useful to the team even without scoring, whether by providing assists, moving in harmony with the rest of the team, or troubling opponents with constant pressing."

Hernán Crespo concluded his remarks by stating: "Ramos does not back down, he fights, he gets into battles with defenders and gives everything he has to chase the ball. Therefore, at the moment, I do not dismiss him. But when we look at the amount that was paid to sign him, we enter a sensitive area."