Who is he? Where does he play?
He is Pescara's diminutive central-midfielder who stands at a teeny 5ft 6 inches (167 cm), aged just 20 and already with a cap for the very-talented Colombian national side, he is recognised as one of the most promising talents in world football.
Great stuff, but seriously small, does that phase him?
It doesn't seem to. Mainly popping up in the attacking midfield area, his immediate instinct is to get his head up and look for the through ball, refusing to be stopped by the physical specimens of the Italian Serie A as he has created 19 chances, assisting 2 goals, from 12 starts this season. He is stereotypical of the South American creative playmaker, dropping deep into pockets of space to move the ball forward and link the play fluidly in attacking areas. He has attempted 719 passes this campaign, a superb rate for just 12 appearances, completing 87% of them, suggestive of his ability to keep the ball moving.
So an attacking midfielder then? In the number 10 mould?
His primary role is to pop up in areas between the lines to create chances, though he usually drops deep to use his technical qualities in order to carry the ball forward. He also averages 3 shots per game, gaining a reputation for shooting from long range with a superbly gifted left-foot. Blessed with wonderful technique, vision and a dangerous set-piece delivery, he really is a threat with the providing ball.
Do you have any third person testimony?
Yes!
“He is a young man with great talent. We have high hopes for him. He has made his name at Pescara and we want to defend him from these [transfer] rumours. He needs to have some continuity and play regularly, enhancing his quality.” - Daniele Sebastiani, Pescara president, January 2013.
Will he stay with Pescara this summer?
Manchester United watched him in the South American under-20 Championship where he finished joint-top scorer with 5 goals, so they could have a move for the youngster in the pipeline. Links to Juventus and Lokomotiv Moscow have also been reported, whilst the player has personally suggested he would like to join the Andrea Stramaccioni revolution at Inter Milan.
Udinese have also been impressed with his form in Pescara
It is believed that Pescara would demand around 10 million Euros for his services, even though it looks unlikely they can hold on to the talented South American for much longer. However, with the under-20 World Cup looming in the summer, plus a potential call-up to the senior competition looking increasingly likely for Brazil next year, hey may stay in western Italy for a little longer.
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