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Manchester City would clearly like to carry Lionel Messi to the Etihad as a part of their short-term quest to win the Champions League within the subsequent three or 4 years.
However the membership are additionally seeking to South America of their long-term planning. They’ve just lately introduced in two teenage attacking right-backs — Yan Couto from Brazil and Peru’s Kluiverth Aguilar — and they’re on the verge of bringing in a 17-year-old mini-Messi: Dario Sarmiento of Estudiantes.
– Lowe: Bad blood and ‘burofax’ between Messi, Barca
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– Connelly: How would Barca look without Messi?
– Watch UEFA Nations League on ESPN, ESPN+ (U.S. only)
Tagging kids as “the brand new Messi” is unimaginative and merciless. It proved an excessive amount of for Juan Manuel Iturbe, who was born in Argentina and grew up in Paraguay, and carried around the burden for some time. Now in Mexico, he wandered throughout Europe with out having the ability to dwell as much as the expectations. Additionally in Mexico is Sergio Diaz, a Paraguayan who was racking up the senior targets on the age of 16 earlier than being picked up by Real Madrid. He bumped into harm issues, and although time continues to be on his aspect — at 22 he’s 5 years youthful than Iturbe — he’s clearly not going to be a phenomenon.
The highway between promise and actuality is lengthy and winding, and filled with potholes. There are apparent risks in going overboard about Sarmiento, a participant with lower than 10 senior video games and no targets to his credit score.
However, his potential is breathtaking and the similarities with Messi placing. One well-known title of the Argentine sport definitely appears to be satisfied. Alejandro Sabella had an illustrious enjoying profession, with spells with Leeds and Sheffield United in addition to Estudiantes, the membership he coached to triumph within the 2009 Copa Libertadores. He was additionally answerable for Messi’s Argentina once they reached the ultimate of the 2014 World Cup.
Sarmiento informed ESPN Argentina that Sabella sought him out, went down on his knees and informed him that he was going to be a star. Sabella was excited by Sarmiento’s left foot, by his poise and stability, by the best way he can take three opponents out of the sport with a fast burst, but additionally by his capability to see the passes round him and take calm selections. And whereas he seems to be just like the smallest member of a boy band, he’s stronger on the ball than he seems.
It could be merciless, however to disregard his similarities with a teenage Messi, who Sarmiento has grown up idolizing, wouldn’t be human.
Even when a giant cash supply does are available in from Man Metropolis, Sarmiento can’t make a transfer throughout the Atlantic till he’s 18, which signifies that he’ll most likely keep at Estudiantes for one more yr. That is excellent news. Earlier than the coronavirus shutdown in March, he was being introduced alongside regularly, principally coming off the bench within the second half, choosing up expertise at a manageable pace.
Sarmiento is in good firm too, with former Argentina internationals Gabriel Milito for a coach, Javier Mascherano for a teammate, and Juan Sebastian Veron for a membership president. And simply presumably sooner or later he might even have Messi as a teammate at Manchester Metropolis.
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