Cristian Tello: That 'kid' of FC Barcelona

Cristian Tello

‘He’s a bullet’ said former manager Pep Guardiola, after giving him his full league debut in 2012. Often described as an old fashioned winger, with immense speed and skill, Cristian Tello has somewhat made his presence felt to the FC Barcelona dressing room.

His hat trick in a 4-1 away win to Levante made his possible suitor Arsene Wenger watch with immense concentration, as the Arsenal gaffer was in the stands to watch him play. There are speculations afloat that Arsenal will make a loan bid for Tello in the next transfer window.

Among the Arsenal ranks, Tello has often been compared to Theo Walcott, but with Walcott currently injured and likely to miss out on the World Cup too, Arsenal are lacking the pace in their wide-play, which can be guaranteed and given by Tello. He started out at La Masia as a center forward, but was used as Guardiola as a winger due to his pace and powerful right foot shots, which tormented defenses to their best.

Many believe that Tello will be a surprise presence in the Spanish National Squad for this year’s World Cup, but that will be possible only if he plays regularly until the end of the season. He has been capped for the senior squad once and helped the U-21 team win the European Championship last summer. He has faced immense competition for the starting eleven, with the likes of Neymar, Pedro, Fabregas, Messi and Alexis Sanchez ahead of him in the pecking order. He has made a league appearances just twice this season, and it is widely believed that a loan move would benefit the player a lot, considering the fact that he has an extremely rare chance of breaking into the starting eleven.

He has recently signed a new contract too, keeping him with the Catalans till 2018 and having a buyout clause of 25 million pounds, which is enough to keep bidders at bay. However, a loan move by Arsenal might just be anytime soon, considering the fact that Arsene Wenger has kept a regular tab on the player and has sent many a scouts.

What goes into Tello’s favour is that his speed, stamina and ability to penetrate defenses has caused enough problems for the opposition in the past. Against Levante, when almost all of the opposition defense was concentrated on Messi, Tello was left unleashed, and it wouldn’t take much of a thought for the 4 time Ballon d’ Or winner to slide in a pass that the versatile winger would convert. A hat trick of goals for Tello. A hat trick of assists for Messi.

However, Tello is yet to get that accuracy that a winger needs, as two of his goals against Levante got a first touch from the keeper, before straying into the back of the net. His crosses have proven to be futile many a times, with him being targeted by the fans and media before the Levante game. Coach Martino believes that Tello’s hard work in training is paying off, and for that he deserved a chance and a more deserving outcome against Levante.

Whether Tello leaves on a temporary basis or not, is a decision for the management. But, as a cule myself, I’d see him go on a season long loan to a club like Arsenal or Borussia Dortmund, where his services are needed and will be respected only for the player to return to the Camp Nou a year later, as a more skilled, technical and feared player. Arsenal having lost Walcott for the rest of the season, need him. Dortmund too, after losing Blaszcykowski to an injury. Bojan Krkic is somewhat doing the same right now at Ajax. Let’s hope Tello does it too.