There have been lots of rumours that Chelsea are going to make a move for the Argentine play-maker Javier Pastore. Although he is an excellent player with good awareness and composure on the ball, I feel it would not be the best option.
His Cost
Pastore is a good player, but Palermo are asking 50 million euros for him which is far too much! I rate him at around 30 million. He’ll need to contribute at least 20 assists as well as scoring 15 goals to prove value for money. Although, he has been behind many of Palermo goals, that price is just too much given his age and experience. A big question is how can they ask so much for a player who cannot even make it into Argentina’s first XI ?
His Chances of adaptability to the English game
The English game is very fast and physical, which means you get a lot less time and space to show your full abilities. Two negatives surrounding Pastore apart from the transfer fee is that he is quite slow and does not have a physically strong. There would be no time here to do his fancy back-heal passes and average crosses. So, why take gamble on someone so unproven?
Emergence of Josh McEachran
Josh McEachran in very young, he has a huge amount of talent that is yet to be exploited. He has already shown his great composure on the ball, the ability to play inch perfect passes, as well as good pace and body control, plus awareness and so much confidence that he could become the next Lampard and Essien combined. He has shown ability that Pastore does not even show on his best day, and we get all of Josh’s talent for not a single penny! What else do we need? The arrival of Pastore will mean more bench appearances for this young man, which would mean that his talent goes rotten.
Availability of cheaper and better options
When it comes to creative midfield players, there are much cheaper options available. Examples of this are Luka Modric and Joao Moutinho. Modric has proven himself to be a great player by helping Tottenham to reach the Champions League in 2010 season, he is more cool and calm and much better than Pastore. Moutinho has proven his worth by helping Porto to win the treble last season. Why not go for one of them?
Is he really the man to land the Holy Grail?
Absolutely not, if he was the “next best” he should at least have taken Palermo to Europe single-handedly. Sanchez took Udinese to Europe and Eden Hazard helped Lille win the ligue1. These players are in the same price bracket as of Pastore. If you had the choice, who would you buy?
by Mubariz Ahmed
A few issues here that I would like to raise. Fistly you fail to mention that Javier Pastore was voted Serie A player of the season last term and that when asked last week who Messi himself was most impressed by as a player in the Copa Americas tournament he unhasitatingly said Javier Pastore. He is certainly a tremendous talent and is still improving season on season. He unfortunately plays in the same position for Argentina as Sergio Aguero so on his arrival to the International team was often overlooked by Aguro's father in law Maradona. He is not slow, in fact he is deceptively quick. I am a lifelong Chelsea fan and would love to see him at Stamford Bridge but the truth of the matter is (I believe) that he will stay at Palermo for at least one more season (maybe two) and will then go to Barcelona or Real Madrid. Like many South American players he prefers La Liga as they speak the same language. The rest of his family have just moved to Sicily and is why I suggest he will not be moving anywhere this summer. I am sure that any noise coming out of Palermo is down purely to the President wanting to keep his team in the International spotlight and taking the limelight off of one or two other Palermo players that other clubs are sniffing around.
By the way Mubariz, good article other than the 'holy grail' section mate. NO one player gets any team into the Champions league from any country. Yes, Sanchez did a fantastic job and he is my numero uno signing if Chelsea could get him as I do believe the guy could just be the new 'Messi' in a few seasons time. His signing alone would send me into raptures as he is the one world player currently (besides Messi) who could single handedly get our midield and forwards firing on all cylinders. Guess I've blown my first point there? Anyway, good article mate.
Alan, Sanchez isnt fit to lace Pastore's boots. He is an average winger whose talent has been greatly exaggerated this summer. He isnt even close to Nani's level. Really, I suggest you catch him in Copa America, who is was absolutely woeful against Mexico.
Argentina play a 4-3-3, a system that doesnt suit a playmaker, which is why Messi doesnt really perform that well. He is often stuck out wide. Hopefully, we will move away from the 4-3-3 next year as our 50mil pound striker doesnt play well in that system and we have no decent wingers anyway. play a diamond or a 4-2-3-1 with Pastore behind Torres and we will walk through teams.
Blueboy, I watch a lot of Italian football and have to totally disagree with you concerning Sanchez. The guy has been phenominal for Udinese this last term and dragged a very average team playing in front of 17,000 gates into the Champions league ahead of some very good teams like Juve, Fiorentina, Lazio, Roma, Sampdoria etc.
He is NOT a winger, although he can play on the wing on either side as he can strike a ball equally well with either foot.
Toward the end of 2009/2011 season Udinese played Sanchez in the middle playing off of their main striker. He was an instant success there. All of last season he played as the second striker and was a revelation. Teams like Barcelona and Real Madrid do NOT bid huge sums of money for players 'not fit to tie the laces' of other players…. you are WRONG!
Pastore is an excellent player in the smae vein as Sergio Aguero who he understudies for Argentina. Neither of the Argentinians is in the same league as Sanchez who is out of the same mould as Messi. I would suggest you watch more of Sanchez playing club football before making this kind of stupid comment! No doubt you still believe that you are right and that people like Pep Guardiola, Jose Mourinho, Alex Ferguson, Mancini among many others are all wrong and that YOU know better.
Willian would be a much better bargain
you forgot Kakuta, why the hell are we planing to Neymar…so much over rated. Chelsea not able to utlise their youth. Its so ridiculous. Right we shouldn't buy Pastore if hes costing us 50m.. Modric and Mcechran is a great option. Also pls pls buy Lukaku, Hulk and VDV we need them