Alvaro Vadillo is a player who has already attracted some attention during this transfer window. And now, according to the Daily Mail, Arsenal are sticking their beaks into the situation, ready to pluck up the young talent out from underneath their North London rival’s grasp.
Tottenham were thought to be in pole position to sign the 18-year-old, but that was prior to the Gunners’ interest.
Vadillo has, unfortunately, been labelled ‘the new Cristiano Ronaldo’. This must be one of the most well-worn phrases in footballing journalism. How many new Ronaldos have we seen have a good season and then fade into obscurity? The moniker seems to be more of a burden than anything else.
Having said that, Alvaro Vadillo does look like the real deal, even if I don’t expect him to have as big an impact in the game as Ronaldo.
Vadillo has excellent balance, confidence and poise. He’s not afraid to take people on and has bag of tricks he can reach into whenever he gets himself into trouble. When he’s beating people down the wings, it’s easy to see flashes of the Real Madrid winger in him.
He differs in one key aspect, however. Despite being a regular in this Real Betis side, Vadillo is yet to convert any opportunities. He’s still only 18-years-old, but he’ll need to add goals to his game if he’s to make an impact in world football. This is an area of his game that may require additional coaching.
Arsenal are a club that are well known for developing young players. Arsene Wenger has been in the game for a long time and knows how to get he most out of his youthful charges. This is sure to be a draw for a player like Alvaro Vadillo, who will want some guarantees in place that he will be able to make an impact at his next club.
It’s worth noting that Tottenham are no slouches when it comes to cultivating young talent. Andre Villas-Boas has already proven himself in this arena.
Both Arsenal and Tottenham look set to lose a winger this summer, with Gervinho and Gareth Bale leaving for fairer climbs. The difference being that Tottenham will need a world-class replacement for Bale, whilst Arsenal could probably swap Gervinho out for a gifted youngster and still receive the same end product.
In this respect, he’d probably be a better fit for the Gunners, who are pursuing young talent this summer instead of signing marquee names. It wouldn’t be the most exciting signing the club could make, but it may be a smart investment.
What’s your take? Should Arsenal battle it out with Tottenham for Vadillo’s signature?
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But if Bale stays..can Real Madrid afford Bale?? They still owe Spurs millions for Modric.