The court of social media has already nicknamed him "Ghostalo": a sort of ghost wandering around San Siro and its surroundings wearing Milan's number 9 shirt. A shirt that, for a decade now, seems to have turned into a curse, with Olivier Giroud being the only exception.
But here, rather than talking about ghosts, we need to talk about numbers. And Gonçalo Ramos' numbers are quite frightening. The Portuguese striker is in the midst of a full-blown crisis, and there is one statistic that perfectly illustrates his difficulties: in 13 matches this season, he has hit the target just 11 times. Not even one shot on target per game, as relayed via La Gazzetta dello Sport on their website.
Considering the €70 million spent by the Diavolo in the summer to bring him to Milan, each shot on target has so far cost approximately €6.3 million. Frankly worrying numbers, which reflect not only his individual performances but also his progressive decline.
Ramos' numbers
In the summer, Ramos became the most expensive signing in Rossoneri history. His arrival had sparked a wave of enthusiasm that, three months later, seems to have turned into a storm.
So far, the Portuguese striker has shown two faces: Dr. Jekyll with the national team, where he scored in three consecutive matches during the last international break, and Mr. Hyde with Milan, where his overall tally remains stuck at three goals in 13 appearances.
A split personality that, for now, is hardly driving Rossoneri fans wild.
Against Ferencvaros, he managed just two shots, both off target: one went several metres wide, while the other was blocked. He touched the ball 26 times, even fewer than the 31 touches recorded in each of his previous two outings.
In short, rather than a centre-forward, at times he looks like a spectator with the right to participate.
In the league, he scored against Venezia at the end of August and from the penalty spot against Atalanta in mid-October. Far too little for someone who had been presented as the man destined to solve Milan's attacking problems.
In Serie A, he ranks 16th for shots attempted (25), 15th for shots on target (10), and 50th for expected goals per 90 minutes (0.20), level with Gleison Bremer, whose job is supposed to be preventing goals. Paradoxical.
Little impact in the penalty area
There is, however, another statistic that perhaps illustrates Ramos' difficulties better than any other: the relationship between his total touches and those inside the opposition's penalty area.
Across all competitions, he has touched the ball 450 times, but only 50 of those touches have come inside the 18-yard box.
In other words, just 11% of his involvement in play takes place in the area where a centre-forward should make the difference.
And so a legitimate question arises: is Gonçalo Ramos really a goalscorer? Is he someone who lives to score goals?
Ramos' career suggests an answer that is far from obvious.
Last year, he scored 12 goals in 45 matches; two seasons ago, he scored 19 in 46 appearances, both times as a substitute at PSG.
His best season remains 2022-23 with Benfica: 19 league goals and 27 in total across 47 matches, including cup competitions.
An important tally, but perhaps not enough to label him a ruthless goalscorer.
His two goals in ten league matches for Milan, if he maintains this rate, would put him on course to finish the season with eight goals.
A miserable return for a €70 million striker earning around a fixed €5 million net per season. Of course, there are still 28 matches remaining, and in football, it takes very little to change one's destiny.
Sometimes all it takes is a brace; other times, a run of convincing performances. In Gonçalo's case, perhaps something even more basic would be enough: remembering where the goal is. Or, to begin with, actually hitting the target.
