As speculations about Arsenal’s transfer activity continue to be rife, the last couple of days have given the fans a little insight about developments regarding player recruitment.
Two of Arsenal’s top targets – Gervinho and Ricky Alvarez – have spoken about their dreams of playing for the Gunners. So, at least we know Arsene Wenger is not chasing shadows and is actually looking to sign players who want to come to the Emirates this summer.
While Gervinho is an established talent, the same cannot be said about Velez midfielder Alvarez, who was virtually unknown until Arsenal’s interest in him came into the spotlight.
The Velez playmaker dropped the biggest hint yet that he is on his way to North London this summer by ‘tweeting’ this message to his followers a few days ago:
‘I would love to play for Arsenal, it would be a dream for me. God willing it will happen!’
While it is heartening to know that the 23-year-old Argentine is keen to play for Arsenal, the problem is whether he is the signing that Arsenal requires in the current circumstances at the club.
While the midfielder would love a move to a club like Arsenal – a chance he may never again get in his career – will Arsenal gain anything substantial from this potential move?
I am not ready to bet against Wenger’s scouts because they have unearthed a number of amazing talents over the years. They see players who somehow evade all other scouts. So I am cautious of passing a judgement on Alvarez until I see him in Arsenal colours. But there can be no arguing that he isn’t the player that the fans were expecting, especially with our star players leaving and some marquee signings being the only way of seeing Arsenal challenging for the title next season.
Alvarez is a two-footed player, and this is probably his biggest asset. He is touted as a replacement for Cesc Fabregas, but it will be difficult for him to fill the boots of the Barcelona-bound Arsenal captain – the jump of quality is huge. Whether he is good enough to handle the huge rise in quality is not clear at present. At 6’2”, Alvarez probably has a physical presence that we need, but lacks any experience of top flight football, and this is my biggest concern.
However, there is no time for Alvarez to develop at Arsenal and then start performing a couple of years later. Arsenal’s recent poor run doesn’t give place for such a scenario to ensue. The Argentine will have to make an impact straightaway to be considered a successful signing. Arsenal needs that big name signing that might lift the spirits of everyone, but unfortunately, Alvarez isn’t the one to do this.
This ‘deal’ is a deal of a lifetime for the Velez midfielder, but I see Arsenal gaining very little from it to be honest.
Arsenal are in urgent need of quality and experience this summer, and I for one honestly hope that Wenger and his scouts prove me wrong about Alvarez and he turns out to be one hell of a player.
Written by Vivek Arulnathan for Gunnersphere.com. Like what you read? Then follow me on Twitter – http://twitter.com/gunnerviv
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You do realize that Velez won the title in Argentina this year? So how is he not used to top flight football? The appropriate comment would be he is not used to european football no?
Of course, he will need some teaching, but if Wenger has deemed him good enough, who are we to disagree? I remember complaints about Fab getting so much playing time early on, I remember the grunts of “Henry who?” and also when Nasri signed he wsn’t thought of as highly as when he is seemingly leaving now, everybody seems to forget his dissapearing act when it mattered most last year!
Anyway, I have alot more faith in Arsene than I do to armchair managers that love to groan and moan and then never heard from again when they are proven wrong.
As far as your remark about Chamakh, it is completely unfair to judge him as a failure. He played brilliantly the first half and simply was not given the chance to flourish due to RVP coming back. But we were in the position we were in December largely in part due to Chamakh filling in for an absent RVP, a useless Bendtner…or have we forgotten that too?
We need a winger that will allow Arshavin and Walcott the space to be the strikers they were brought in to be. Arshavin was great the season he arrived and was not made to be a winger.
This would also give us a different form of attack that will surprise the opponents, crosses from the wings for the greatest striker in the world or Chamakh to work with.
Fabragas will leave so why not go for a player with vision and ability to give the perfect weighted pass. What happened to last seasons replacement Gourcuff?
I’m so disappointed in this writer who wrote that “Arsenal needs that big name signing that might lift the spirits of everyone, but unfortunately, Alvarez isn’t the one to do this” Like Chelsea had Fernando Torres who had only one goal from January to May and cost 50 Million Pounds? What Arsenal needs is a good effective player not a big name player. We need someone who is ready to give 100% while playing. We don’t have the right to castigate a player we don’t know let us just let the manager do his job. He has done it before and he will do it again. Let him take his time and let us see what happens at the start of the 2011/2012 season.
Samba,alverez and benzema/falcio can make a huge diff.
that will be agood signing.i like d pair cesc and alvarez. iniester and xavi.bring alvarez now.
Nice and positive article…