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Villarreal CF has been in the public eye over recent weeks after selling one of their young South American prospects Gabriel Paulista to Arsenal. With nearly all of the scrutiny and focus falling upon the Brazilian centre back and his move to England, there has been less of a spotlight on his former teammate Luciano Vietto.
The young Argentine striker has enjoyed an impressive start to his time at Villarreal and his return of 10 goals in 20 league games has brought attention from some of Europe’s bigger clubs. There have already been rumours of links with Liverpool and Juventus even before the January transfer window opened, but with the sale of Paulista a move now is unlikely.
Vietto first rose to prominence at Racing Club in Argentina, where he moved after being released by his first club Estudiantes. Despite a modest goal return, 18 goals in 73 games, he showed enough ability to convince Villarreal to take him to Spain last summer. He has needed very little time to adapt to the demands of playing in a new league and by averaging a goal every other game in La Liga, the move has been viewed as a complete success.
He was called up to represent the Argentinean Under-20 side at the American Youth Championship in 2012 and responded with two goals in his four games. With the remarkable strength in depth that his nation has in the attacking department, a breakthrough to the senior side will require some very impressive form. However, with concern surrounding the future of Argentina’s next generation of International players Vietto represents positivity.
Like many before him, there have already been comparisons with some of the greats his country have produced. His playing style has been likened to Sergio Aguero with the tenacity that he patrols the front line with. He is very quick and technically sound which can make him extremely difficult to defend against. Many of the best strikers rely on pure instinct with their goal scoring and Vietto’s finishing is clinical with both feet.
As with many young players, it is consistency that is the hardest skill to obtain. There have already been several highs and lows in Vietto’s brief career and the pursuit of consistent league performance must be the initial aim.
There is no doubt that he possesses many of the attributes required to become a top player and if he can maintain the standards he has set at his new club, a move to one of the big clubs in Europe would be no surprise.
