Profile
Carlos Roberto Forbs Borges is a 22-year-old Portuguese winger born March 19, 2004 in Sintra, Portugal[reference:14]. 169cm, left-footed, primarily a right winger who can also operate as an attacking midfielder[reference:15][reference:16]. At Club Brugge since July 17, 2025, acquired for โฌ6M from Ajax[reference:17][reference:18]. Contract until June 30, 2029[reference:19]. Career path: Sporting CP youth โ Manchester City academy (2014-2023, U18/U21 titles)[reference:20] โ Ajax (โฌ14M, 2023)[reference:21] โ Wolverhampton Wanderers (loan, 2024-25)[reference:22] โ Club Brugge (โฌ6M, 2025)[reference:23]. Has Guinea-Bissau roots through his parents[reference:24]. Portugal U21 international; uncapped at senior level[reference:25].
T3 Status
0/16 T3 metrics pending validation. This card is a Tier 1 + Tier 2 proxy only. All T3 sub-metrics (OBI_T, OBI_S, OBI_P, SII_A, SII_T, SII_R, DMA, SPI, CHR, MCS, CLM, CRS, OMS, DYN, CRK, COACH) require minimum 5 full matches of HD video assessment. Video links are pending โ same workflow as the Tresoldi pilot. Do not use for final recruitment decisions until T3 validation is complete.
Empire FGA Verdict (Provisional)
FGA 6.8 (PROXY) โ REVIVAL SEASON AT BRUGGE ยท UCL OUTPUT CONFIRMED ยท T3 PENDING. Carlos Forbs is a 22-year-old Portuguese winger whose 2025-26 season at Club Brugge represents a clear career inflection point. After 0 goals in 21 Eredivisie appearances for Ajax and 0 goals in 10 Premier League appearances for Wolves[reference:26][reference:27], he has delivered 8 goals, 8 assists in 37 Pro League matches and 2 goals, 3 assists in 9 UCL appearances[reference:28][reference:29]. His Sofascore average of 7.36 and xG 6.18 / xA 8.55 suggest the output is statistically grounded[reference:30]. Dribbling success (42.3%) and aerial duels (12.5%) are areas of concern[reference:31]. All Tier 3 metrics remain unvalidated โ the card is provisional pending video assessment. If the T3 validates the off-ball movement and decision-making, Forbs could be a high-upside target for clubs needing a direct, creative wide player.
Technical / Attacking
Mental / Tactical
Physical
Tier 1 โ FBref ยท Sofascore ยท Opta
Tier 2 โ Composite Scores (Proxy)
FGA Weighting Breakdown
LOG Context
Pro League (Belgium): Tier 2.6 (confirmed)
UCL Group Stage: Tier 3.5
UCL Knockout: Tier 4.0
LOG 3.2 reflects the mix of Pro League and UCL football. Forbs has performed in both contexts, with UCL output (2G, 3A in 9 apps) suggesting the profile translates to higher competition levels.
Tier 3 ยท Pending Video Assessment ยท 0/16 Confirmed
OBI_S 0 events โ space creation not yet assessed
OBI_P 0 events โ positional anticipation not yet assessed
OBI composite PENDING โ requires 5+ full matches
SII_T 0 events โ top speed not yet assessed
SII_R 0 events โ recovery sprints not yet assessed
SII composite PENDING โ requires 5+ full matches
โ OBI_S (0 events)
โ OBI_P (0 events)
โ SII_A (0 events)
โ SII_T (0 events)
โ SII_R (0 events)
โ DMA (0 events)
โ SPI (0 events)
โ CHR (0 events)
โ MCS (0 events)
โ CLM (0 events)
โ CRS (0 events)
โ OMS (0 events)
โ DYN (0 events)
โ CRK (0 events)
โ COACH (0 events)
0/16 metrics confirmed โ video assessment pending
Cross-League Performance Projection
LOG (Level of Game) contextualizes performance across leagues of differing quality using Empire FGA's Competition_Tier_Base reference. Forbs' current FGA of 6.8 is a T1-based proxy โ all Tier 3 metrics remain unvalidated. The projection assumes his current output (8G, 8A in Pro League, 2G, 3A in UCL) translates proportionally to higher leagues.
Methodology
Formula: LOG-Adjusted Score = Base FGA ร (Current League Tier รท Target League Tier).
Premier League: 6.8 ร (2.6 รท 3.7) = 6.2
Eredivisie: 6.8 ร (2.6 รท 2.8) = 6.5
Read before sending to a club: this projection is based on Tier 1 data only. Forbs' actual performance at Ajax (0 goals in 21 Eredivisie apps) suggests the Eredivisie projection may be optimistic[reference:32]. His Wolves loan (0 goals in 10 PL apps) also casts doubt on the EPL projection[reference:33]. The Club Brugge revival is real, but T3 validation is required to determine whether the improvement is structural or contextual.
Top 10 Philosophy Fits (Proxy)
Tactical Archetype (Proxy)
"The Cruyff / Guardiola Wide Creator" โ A winger whose primary value is creative output from wide areas. 8 assists and 61 chances created in 37 Pro League matches suggest strong creative instincts[reference:34]. The 42.3% dribble success rate is a concern โ elite wingers typically operate above 50%[reference:35]. The aerial weakness (12.5%) is structural given his height[reference:36]. T3 validation will determine whether the off-ball movement and decision-making match the statistical output.
Career Statistics
| Season | Club | League | Apps | Goals | Assists |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023-24 | Ajax | Eredivisie | 21 | 0 | 0 |
| 2024-25 | Wolves (loan) | Premier League | 10 | 0 | 0 |
| 2025-26 | Club Brugge | Pro League | 37 | 8 | 8 |
| 2025-26 | Club Brugge | Champions League | 9 | 2 | 3 |
| Career Total (senior) | ~77 | 10 | 11 | ||
Transfer Ladder
| From โ To | Fee | Year |
|---|---|---|
| Man City U21 โ Ajax | โฌ14M | 2023 |
| Ajax โ Wolves | Loan (โฌ2.5M fee) | 2024 |
| Ajax โ Club Brugge | โฌ6M | 2025 |
| Market value (current) | โฌ15.5M | |
Honours
| Honour | Year | Club |
|---|---|---|
| English Youth League | 2020/21, 2021/22 | Man City U18 |
| Premier League U21 | 2020/21, 2022/23 | Man City U21 |
| Belgian Pro League | 2025-26 | Club Brugge |
| Belgian Super Cup | 2025 | Club Brugge |
Physical Profile
Injury & Medical History
โ Positive Filters
- 8 goals, 8 assists in 37 Pro League matches (25/26) โ clear attacking output from wide areas[reference:63]
- 2 goals, 3 assists in 9 UCL appearances โ production translates to elite competition[reference:64]
- xG 6.18 vs 8 goals, xA 8.55 vs 8 assists โ output is statistically grounded, not luck-driven[reference:65]
- 61 chances created, 9 big chances created โ elite creative volume for a winger[reference:66]
- Sofascore average 7.36 โ consistent performance level across the season[reference:67]
- 199 penalty area touches โ high involvement in dangerous areas[reference:68]
- Market value rebounded to โฌ15.5M โ clear value appreciation from โฌ6M purchase[reference:69]
- 22 years old โ significant development runway remaining
- Manchester City academy background โ elite technical foundation[reference:70]
- Portuguese U21 international โ international pedigree[reference:71]
- Contract until 2029 โ long-term stability at Club Brugge[reference:72]
- Pro League title and Super Cup winner (2025-26) โ winning experience
โ Caution Signals
- 0 goals in 21 Eredivisie apps for Ajax โ struggled in a possession-dominant system[reference:73]
- 0 goals in 10 Premier League apps for Wolves โ failed to adapt to English football[reference:74]
- Dribble success rate 42.3% โ below elite winger standard (typically 50%+)[reference:75]
- Aerial duel win rate 12.5% โ structural weakness given 169cm height[reference:76]
- Crossing accuracy 32.7% โ below average for a wide creator[reference:77]
- Long pass accuracy 34.4% โ limited range in distribution[reference:78]
- All Tier 3 metrics pending โ no video validation of off-ball movement, decision-making, or mental attributes
- Uncapped at senior level for Portugal โ competition for places is fierce[reference:79]
- Previous career trajectory (Ajax/Wolves) was a clear failure โ the Brugge revival is real but needs corroboration
- Age 22 โ development runway is shortening โ physical attributes unlikely to improve significantly
โ Critical Gaps
- 0/16 T3 metrics validated โ no video evidence for OBI, SII, DMA, CHR, MCS, CLM, CRS, OMS, DYN, CRK, COACH
- No off-ball movement assessment โ OBI_T, OBI_S, OBI_P all unverified
- No sprint profile โ SII_A, SII_T, SII_R all unverified
- No character or mental assessment โ CHR, MCS, CLM, CRS all unverified
- Decision-making under pressure unverified โ DMA, OMS, CRK all unverified
- Coachability unknown โ COACH metric unverified (critical given his Ajax/Wolves struggles)
- System dependency unknown โ does he thrive only in Brugge's specific structure?
- Consistency over time unverified โ one good season after two poor ones
- Big-game mentality unverified โ UCL output is promising but sample is small (9 apps)
โ Empire FGA Verdict (Provisional)
FGA 6.8 (PROXY) โ REVIVAL SEASON AT BRUGGE ยท UCL OUTPUT CONFIRMED ยท T3 PENDING. Carlos Forbs is a 22-year-old Portuguese winger whose 2025-26 season at Club Brugge represents a clear career inflection point. After 0 goals in 21 Eredivisie appearances for Ajax and 0 goals in 10 Premier League appearances for Wolves[reference:80][reference:81], he has delivered 8 goals, 8 assists in 37 Pro League matches and 2 goals, 3 assists in 9 UCL appearances[reference:82][reference:83]. His Sofascore average of 7.36 and xG 6.18 / xA 8.55 suggest the output is statistically grounded[reference:84]. Dribbling success (42.3%) and aerial duels (12.5%) are areas of concern[reference:85]. All Tier 3 metrics remain unvalidated โ the card is provisional pending video assessment. If the T3 validates the off-ball movement and decision-making, Forbs could be a high-upside target for clubs needing a direct, creative wide player. However, the Ajax and Wolves failures are real data points that cannot be ignored. Recommended for clubs with a clear development pathway for wide players and a system that can cover his physical limitations. Not recommended for clubs requiring immediate impact in a physically demanding league without a structured plan to address his weaknesses.
No Match Links Provided
To complete the Tier 3 validation for Carlos Forbs, please supply full-match video links (Dropbox or similar) for a minimum of 5 matches (2 vs top-third opposition, 1 away, 1 while losing). Recommended fixtures: UCL matches (where he scored 2 goals and provided 3 assists) and key Pro League fixtures.