Winter Transfer Window Scouting Thread 23/24

[felmani26]

Its my boys birthday today so I can’t hang about on here to long so will be super brief. Claudio Echeverri is considered probably one of the most exciting young talents in Argentina atm. Ironically I was going to write a post about him a few weeks ago as one to watch for the future due to his U17 WC showing but got sidetracked. He’s already been touted as the new Messi. I know that gets bandied around a lot but this kid really does look special. Only 17 and only just breaking into the first team but in Argentina they think he’s a possible generational talent. He’s a true Argentinian AMC. I will be gobsmacked if he came here. I know City are supposedly very interested. Essentially if we got him it would be a big coup as a lot of teams are watching him. Anyway the sauce is questionable at best but it’s worth posting just because in general all three are players we should be keeping an eye on.

Was just about to post links to this but via another aggregator!

Some self proclaimed SA 'expert' on X (I know, I know) who was routinely tagged for a lowdown and essentially it was a case that none of the 3 will likely move but, and I quote "Literally might be our best attacking generation of all time.......Echeverri is Messi, Ruberto is Aguero and Subiabre is Di Maria"

 

[Ghost Hardware]

Was just about to post links to this but via another aggregator!

Some self proclaimed SA 'expert' on X (I know, I know) who was routinely tagged for a lowdown and essentially it was a case that none of the 3 will likely move but, and I quote "Literally might be our best attacking generation of all time.......Echeverri is Messi, Ruberto is Aguero and Subiabre is Di Maria"

Yeah he is, I’ve read up and watched as much as could of him because of his performances for the U17 and he looks an incredible talent. €25 mil release clause apparently as well which goes up to €30 mil on the last few days of the window. Supposedly they are trying to raise it to €50 mil.

 

[FrankSpencer]

I'm not entirely sure by what you mean when you label him as not mobile enough. Is it agility or something else?

From what I've seen he's an absolute pressing machine for both the Swedish NT and for Sporting, similar to Kulusevski. I've watched him a fair bit as I'm Swedish and I'd be willing to stick my neck out to say that he's been the best Swedish player in all competitions the last 6 months, Isak & Dejan included.

His only real weakness IMO is that he's dispossessed a bit too often due to miscontrolling the ball, or being too ambitious with a take-on at times.

View attachment 135008

Definitely agility.

He’s not someone who struck me as having explosive pace, but more a player that built his pace up over a bigger distance. He’s very good at occupying CB’s, but as you’ve alluded to, he gets caught in possession quite a bit and doesn’t always pick the best options around him.

I like him as a player, I just don’t think he’s the right fit for us.

 

[FrankSpencer]

who's better, him or gimenez?

I don’t think either particular suits where we need to be with that number 9 role!

 

[The Scarecrow]

Its my boys birthday today so I can’t hang about on here to long so will be super brief. Claudio Echeverri is considered probably one of the most exciting young talents in Argentina atm. Ironically I was going to write a post about him as one to watch for the future due to his U17 WC showing but got sidetracked. He’s already been touted as the new Messi. I know that gets bandied around a lot but this kid really does look special. Only 17 and only just breaking into the first team but in Argentina they think he’s a possible generational talent. He’s a true Argentinian AMC. I will be gobsmacked if he came here. I know City are supposedly very interested. Essentially if we got him it would be a big coup as a lot of teams are watching him. Anyway the source is questionable at best but it’s worth posting just because in general all three are players we should be keeping an eye on.

Our new recruitment team have been playing FM, I see. Just sign the best youngsters from River and Boca and you'll be set.

 

[felmani26]

Our new recruitment team have been playing FM, I see. Just sign the best youngsters from River and Boca and you'll be set.

It would appear bigger fish with bigger pockets are already circling but if we can demonstrate giving promising youth prospects pathways into the first team and having a similar conveyor belt of talent setup akin to Dortmund then we might just be able to attract the likes of Echeverri - particularly against the backdrop of what is already a very strong South American contingent in situ.

Perhaps the bigger issue would be on selling them with Levy at the helm should the desire to move to say a Real Madrid comes to the fore.

 

[Ghost Hardware]

It would appear bigger fish with bigger pockets are already circling but if we can demonstrate giving promising youth prospects pathways into the first team and having a similar conveyor belt of talent setup akin to Dortmund then we might just be able to attract the likes of Echeverri - particularly against the backdrop of what is already a very strong South American contingent in situ.

Perhaps the bigger issue would be on selling them with Levy at the helm should the desire to move to say a Real Madrid comes to the fore.

Also big plus is if we got Echeverri now then he would eventually be HG by the age of 21. I do think we would be an attractive prospect but I’m not sure a player would turn down the idea of training under Pep at the current best team in Europe. Let alone if the likes of Barca and RM get involved which they probably would.

 

[fecka]

Definitely agility.

He’s not someone who struck me as having explosive pace, but more a player that built his pace up over a bigger distance. He’s very good at occupying CB’s, but as you’ve alluded to, he gets caught in possession quite a bit and doesn’t always pick the best options around him.

I like him as a player, I just don’t think he’s the right fit for us.

I see what you're trying to say but I can't say I agree.

My experience is he's got both that short-distance explosive pace, and pace over bigger distances and it's his big frame that might make it look like he doesn't. He's not a bulky Manor Solomon, of course, but I don't believe he's significantly less agile than let's say Son, Kulusevski, and Richy.
I've seen him turn defenders inside out more than once in the Championship, the NT, and in Portugal. To me, he's the kind of striker who can create his own opportunities and not just wait for others to get him into play, sort of like Kane but at a lesser level. And while he can certainly pick the wrong option, I feel he's much better than most traditional 9s at that and I believe the stats back that up.

Out of curiosity, who/what kind of player do you believe would be the right fit?

 

[Mediocrates]

Its my boys birthday today so I can’t hang about on here to long so will be super brief. Claudio Echeverri is considered probably one of the most exciting young talents in Argentina atm. Ironically I was going to write a post about him as one to watch for the future due to his U17 WC showing but got sidetracked. He’s already been touted as the new Messi. I know that gets bandied around a lot but this kid really does look special. Only 17 and only just breaking into the first team but in Argentina they think he’s a possible generational talent. He’s a true Argentinian AMC. I will be gobsmacked if he came here. I know City are supposedly very interested. Essentially if we got him it would be a big coup as a lot of teams are watching him. Anyway the source is questionable at best but it’s worth posting just because in general all three are players we should be keeping an eye on.

Thanks for sharing. I don’t see Messi but he does remind me of one of my favourite players when first starting to watch football as a kid, Pablo Aimar.

I’d have thought he’s bound for Spain too - beautiful technique but looks to need some filling out for any talk of English football.

edit: I just watched some stuff of Ruberto. He looks lethal. I’d hope we are looking at him though not sure what that’d mean for Veliz!

 

[rossdapep]

Its my boys birthday today so I can’t hang about on here to long so will be super brief. Claudio Echeverri is considered probably one of the most exciting young talents in Argentina atm. Ironically I was going to write a post about him as one to watch for the future due to his U17 WC showing but got sidetracked. He’s already been touted as the new Messi. I know that gets bandied around a lot but this kid really does look special. Only 17 and only just breaking into the first team but in Argentina they think he’s a possible generational talent. He’s a true Argentinian AMC. I will be gobsmacked if he came here. I know City are supposedly very interested. Essentially if we got him it would be a big coup as a lot of teams are watching him. Anyway the source is questionable at best but it’s worth posting just because in general all three are players we should be keeping an eye on.

Romero's kid in the middle?

 

[Japhet]

I see what you're trying to say but I can't say I agree.

My experience is he's got both that short-distance explosive pace, and pace over bigger distances and it's his big frame that might make it look like he doesn't. He's not a bulky Manor Solomon, of course, but I don't believe he's significantly less agile than let's say Son, Kulusevski, and Richy.
I've seen him turn defenders inside out more than once in the Championship, the NT, and in Portugal. To me, he's the kind of striker who can create his own opportunities and not just wait for others to get him into play, sort of like Kane but at a lesser level. And while he can certainly pick the wrong option, I feel he's much better than most traditional 9s at that and I believe the stats back that up.

Out of curiosity, who/what kind of player do you believe would be the right fit?

I lost count of the number of times Kane picked the wrong option.

 

[rossdapep]

I scout a lot in Brazil's U20 market, was working for a club until July until they cut the project, and the Argentinian youth market is certainly more appeasing in terms of players being a bit more ready for the PL.

Brazilian players tend to be more skilful and athletic, you'll get some kids doing incrediblt things with the ball. But sadly the intensity is lacking so a kid may look fantastic agaisnt his own age group but then when you put him up against more intensity and physicality he gets a little lost.

This is why Endrick stood out because he is an inctredible physical specimen to go with his striking ability.

But when I watched the Argetninian u19 games I saw real intensity and the ability to think fast, which gives these players the edge when adjusting to the PL.

Not only that but i was told by an agent that the Argentinian market is in a bad state so they are happy to get money for players, whereas the Brazilian clubs will ask for big money for their players (think Martinelli from Ituano).

We should absolutely be tapping into the Argentinian market more frequently.

 

[HildoSpur]

I scout a lot in Brazil's U20 market, was working for a club until July until they cut the project, and the Argentinian youth market is certainly more appeasing in terms of players being a bit more ready for the PL.

Brazilian players tend to be more skilful and athletic, you'll get some kids doing incrediblt things with the ball. But sadly the intensity is lacking so a kid may look fantastic agaisnt his own age group but then when you put him up against more intensity and physicality he gets a little lost.

This is why Endrick stood out because he is an inctredible physical specimen to go with his striking ability.

But when I watched the Argetninian u19 games I saw real intensity and the ability to think fast, which gives these players the edge when adjusting to the PL.

Not only that but i was told by an agent that the Argentinian market is in a bad state so they are happy to get money for players, whereas the Brazilian clubs will ask for big money for their players (think Martinelli from Ituano).

We should absolutely be tapping into the Argentinian market more frequently.

Thanks for that, very interesting. I think the fact we have had a strong Argentinian connection within our squad for the last decade or so (in fact going right back to the Ardiles days) is bound to help.

 

[bceej]

I scout a lot in Brazil's U20 market, was working for a club until July until they cut the project, and the Argentinian youth market is certainly more appeasing in terms of players being a bit more ready for the PL.

Brazilian players tend to be more skilful and athletic, you'll get some kids doing incrediblt things with the ball. But sadly the intensity is lacking so a kid may look fantastic agaisnt his own age group but then when you put him up against more intensity and physicality he gets a little lost.

This is why Endrick stood out because he is an inctredible physical specimen to go with his striking ability.

But when I watched the Argetninian u19 games I saw real intensity and the ability to think fast, which gives these players the edge when adjusting to the PL.

Not only that but i was told by an agent that the Argentinian market is in a bad state so they are happy to get money for players, whereas the Brazilian clubs will ask for big money for their players (think Martinelli from Ituano).

We should absolutely be tapping into the Argentinian market more frequently.

Their national inflation is at 140% and they have desperately reached out to Argentina’s answer to Donald Trump. Look up “Javier Milei” and “chainsaw”.

 

[JonnySpurs]

I dont think it should be under-estimated how much these young Argentinian players would value Romero, Lo Celso and Veliz all being at the club already, not to mention our long standing history with Argentinian players. It could well give us a head start when it comes to snagging these guys.

 

[FrankSpencer]

I see what you're trying to say but I can't say I agree.

My experience is he's got both that short-distance explosive pace, and pace over bigger distances and it's his big frame that might make it look like he doesn't. He's not a bulky Manor Solomon, of course, but I don't believe he's significantly less agile than let's say Son, Kulusevski, and Richy.
I've seen him turn defenders inside out more than once in the Championship, the NT, and in Portugal. To me, he's the kind of striker who can create his own opportunities and not just wait for others to get him into play, sort of like Kane but at a lesser level. And while he can certainly pick the wrong option, I feel he's much better than most traditional 9s at that and I believe the stats back that up.

Out of curiosity, who/what kind of player do you believe would be the right fit?

Fair points all well made.

I think we need to do everything we can to sign Evan Ferguson, he’d be perfect in our current system, but also offers a huge ceiling for the future.

 

[Wick3d]

I dont think it should be under-estimated how much these young Argentinian players would value Romero, Lo Celso and Veliz all being at the club already, not to mention our long standing history with Argentinian players. It could well give us a head start when it comes to snagging these guys.

We had the famous Maradona wear our shirt. Albeit it was for Ossie's testimonial..., it still counts!

 

[GetKaned]

We had the famous Maradona wear our shirt. Albeit it was for Ossie's testimonial..., it still counts!

Damn Levy penny pinching and lost out on making him permanent...

 

[Ghost Hardware]

Now that we are seemingly keen on SIJ I’m not sure it’s so relevant, assuming we want him to play LB, but Brighton seem to be in pole position to get Argentinian 19 year old LB/WB Valentin Barco for only $10 mil (his release clause). I’m surprised as I thought he was pretty much set for City. He was someone I thought we should go for as a rotation option for Udogie. Incredible dribbler, fast, tenacious, eye for a pass… he’s essentially an attacking midfielder who plays LB. Be very interested to see how he does at Brighton because he looks an extremely exciting player. He’s considered one of the brightest talents in the league. For those curious it’s worth giving him a quick google.

 

[G Ron]

Pretty sure Kane was an Arsenal fan too, which would make sense given he was playing for their academy at an early age.

Peter Crouch talked recently about being a Chelsea fan as a kid and then coming to hate them later on and then being a Liverpool fan who also connected with the other clubs he played for, including Spurs.

No Kane absolutely wasn’t a gooner - he’s always been Spurs and his family are big Spurs fans.