Gomes keeping the Benfica dream alive for Leighton
OLIVER BURKE isn’t the only Scottish youngster dreaming of mixing it with Europe’s elite.
For one former Motherwell youth defender who has just returned from a two-week trial at Benfica, Burke’s £13m move from Nottingham Forest to Red Bull Leipzig in the Bundesliga, serves as a reminder of what could have been and what might still be.
Eleven days into his time with the Portuguese giants, Tom Leighton’s world was turned upside down when he overextended his groin during a training session and his trial period came to a premature end.
A legendary former Benfica striker was on hand to offer reassurance to Leighton, who has now had three trips to the club’s Caixa Futebol Campus near Lisbon.
The 16-year-old, a product of the SFA performance programme at Braidhurst High School in Motherwell, impressed enough that Nuno Gomes, head of youth at the Stadium of Light, promised the defender he would be given another chance to shine.
“Nuno told me ‘the feedback is good, the coaches like you. You’re a good a player and it’s a shame about the injury because we’d love to have you back when the injury clears up’.
“Gomes is a legend at Benfica but he’s also a really nice guy.
“I was daunted by it initially and I was surprised at first because I didn’t think Benfica would take me seriously because I’m Scottish. The first day I was there I could tell people were judging me and I needed to impress. I could feel the difference immediately on the pitch. There were some special players there but I knew that if I played with and against them regularly they would make me better as a player.
“I’m a ball-playing centre-back, I’m comfortable with the ball at my feet and I’m fast and Benfica said these were attributes they liked in me.”
Those abilities are embodied by Luisao, the club captain, veteran of almost 500 games, and a holder of 44 caps for Brazil. Leighton counts him among his acquaintances from his time in Portugal.
“The first time I was at Benfica I met him. All my team-mates got a photo with him. I said ‘I’m not getting a photo with him because I’m going to come back here one day and I’ll be in my own Benfica strip next to him’ and then I’ll have earned a photo. I met him again this summer. He told me to give it my best shot and show them what I’ve got.”
Burke’s move has only intensified Leighton’s dreams.
“Oliver Burke is an inspiration to someone like me. He is going to develop a lot quicker out there with the coaching he will receive,” added Leighton, who has been on trial at Southampton and is being tracked by Liverpool, Watford, Fulham and Wolverhampton Wanderers.
Much as Burke faced a dilemma regarding his development, Leighton is at a similar crossroads: go and learn from the best coaches but become snarled up in the pecking order that predominates at big clubs as Ryan Gauld has found out at Sporting Lisbon or stay in Scotland and find himself fasttracked to the first team.
Motherwell, for one, would love to have him back.
“They have offered me a fulltime contract and are in contact with me on regular basis. They have told me the door is open. I’m keeping my options open.”