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6 months ago
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It’s no secret that Portuguese clubs are masters in the art of uncovering big Argentinian promises to highlight them and resell them at a high price. This is typically what happens with Alan Varela, the defensive midfielder of FC Porto. The Portista club, which bought the U20 international from Boca Juniors for a check for €8 million (+ €3 million bonus) and for 5 years, is rubbing its hands. Not only does he know that he will realize a strong added value in the months to come, but in addition, he is benefiting from the talents of Alan Varela who is splashing the Portuguese championship and the Champions League with his talent.
The 1m77 midfielder is full of qualities and extremely versatile. Aggressive in the good sense of the word, strong in recovering the ball, he excels in distributing the ball where his right paw is devastating whether it is to make crosses or to deliver ultra-precise openings thanks to a very superior vision of the game to the average. The native of Isidro Casanova, now 22 years old, is also very solid and has had no problem adapting to European football. With 30 matches played since his arrival last August (almost all as a starter), Alan Varela has quickly become a fan’s darling.
The new Javier Mascherano has no shortage of courtiers
These performances in the Champions League (elected player of the match for his first C1 match against Shakthar last September and on February 21 during FC Porto-Arsenal where he disgusted the Gunners) but also last weekend during the match at the top of the championship against Benfica (3 chances created, 94% of successful passes, 3 successful tackles out of 3, 5 balls recovered) impressed the biggest clubs in Europe who have been courting him since his arrival at Porto.
Currently, three of them have come forward to try to recruit the man who is already nicknamed in England, the new Javier Mascherano. According to our information, these are Liverpool, Borussia Dortmund and PSG. But as is often the case with Portuguese clubs, this will be very expensive since FC Porto is demanding €70 million, the amount of its release clause. For its part, Boca Juniors is rubbing its hands since the Xeneize have negotiated a resale percentage on the one we haven’t heard the last of.
Written by:
Manu Tournoux is a passionate and knowledgeable football enthusiast with a special focus on French football. Born and raised in France, Manu discovered his love for the beautiful game at a young age and developed a deep understanding of the ins and outs of "Le Championnat." His French roots and extensive experience in football journalism have made him an invaluable asset to the French Football Weekly team. As an author for the website, Manu's expertise includes not only in-depth analysis of Ligue 1 and Ligue 2 matches but also insightful profiles of up-and-coming talents, detailed transfer news, and engaging coverage of the French national team. His captivating writing style and undeniable passion for the game have earned him a loyal following among our readers. When he's not crafting engaging articles for French Football Weekly, Manu enjoys attending live matches whenever he can, exploring football culture in various French cities, and engaging in spirited debates with fellow fans. Feel free to follow Manu on Twitter and interact with him as he shares his expert opinions, insights, and love for French football.
