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Why Manchester City Are Crazy To Forget Alexis Sanchez
He's been touted as the next Messi or Ronaldo so why are Manchester City leaving the door open for their city rivals and Barcelona?
"What's that? A Mr Ferguson is on the phone?"
He’s been touted as the next Messi or Ronaldo so why are Manchester City leaving the door open for their city rivals and Barcelona?
Udinese’s Chilean striker Alexis Sanchez, along with his partner Antonio Di Natale are the odd couple of Serie A as no other side in the top flight play with a diminutive front-two who possess such exquisite technical qualities.
Sanchez stands around 1.68metres in his sock feet and naturally his strengths lie in an ability to turn on a sixpence before accelerating away with the ball to play quick one-twos in and around the area. He’s small, fast, skilful, elusive: he’s the little man of Italian football who’s been tying the giants in knots.
The 22-year-old pocket-sized frontman is also deadly from long range when accelerating in from the left flank and has already hit a number of stunning goals this season, the pick of which came at Bari (see below), but he is really in his element when he takes the ball at lightning speed to run at defences either along the flank or through the middle.
The tactic of playing two smaller forwards would seem to have its limitations but the astute Udinese coach Francesco Guidolin changed his system – no more high balls forward but quick, decisive passing – knowing that his vertically-challenged strikers would thrive with the ball constantly on terra-firma.
It has been a non-stop intensity and fitness allied to skill that is almost like watching Barcelona at times – well the closest an Italian club can get to the Catalans. With his low-centre of gravity, compact build and blood-twisting array of stepovers it is no surprise Sanchez has been nicknamed El Nino Maravilla – The Wonder Kid – but more than that he has been a willing student, learning from the aging maestro Di Natale that he can be a much more effective performer if he remains on his feet and rides challenges.
Sanchez believes he is up to the task of showcasing his skills at a bigger club, be it in Italy or abroad, and has revealed that the Theatre of Dreams would be the perfect stage. “Manchester United has been my dream all my life and they would be my first choice”
That piece of sagely advice more than anything could be the making of Sanchez as a genuine world-class performer. Udinese president Giampaolo Pozzo had initially slapped a 30million Euro price-tag, from which Inter president Massimo Moratti shied away at the turn of the year but may well have to reconsider tabling a larger bid or miss out on what his aging side needs: youth and talent in one bundle. After witnessing his little trickster run amok with a four-goal salvo in the 7-0 thrashing of Palermo in late February, Pozzo immediately doubled the asking price launching his young protégé into the exalted company of megastars Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi, a fee that Manchester City could afford, especially if they offload some of the dead wood.
“I don’t know how much Messi is worth but Sanchez has to be close to that figure,” claimed the Udinese chief who knows that only Manchester City can bring the sort of return he desires on a player he bought for just under 2m Euros from Chilean side Cobreloa in 2006 – and who has netted 12 goals this season.
Sanchez made his international debut at 17 and by the time he arrived in South Africa for last year’s World Cup finals he was already an experienced operator despite his youth, so it was no wonder that he received heightened exposure as Chile qualified for the last 16 where they lost to Brazil. Having taken time to recover from his exploits in the summer, extra stints in the gym hitting the weights added bulk to his upper body and with Di Natale’s advice ringing in his ears, even Serie A’s more robust defenders such as Giorgio Chiellini of Juventus and Inter’s Lucio have come off second best to make a mockery of the old saying that size matters.
Sanchez believes he is up to the task of showcasing his skills at a bigger club, be it in Italy or abroad, and has revealed that the Theatre of Dreams would be the perfect stage. “Manchester United has been my dream all my life and they would be my first choice,” the wide-eyed youngster was quoted as telling Chilean TV last summer. He may be short in stature but when it comes to skill, ambition and drive Sanchez has it in spades – and whichever part of Manchester he ends up in next season his arrival in the big time is assured.
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COMMENTS
Please go to the greatest team in the UNIVERSE = MAN-U
Alex F has one thing on his mind and its not title 20 its his biggest challenge to date and thats to beat the one and only barca and the way the team is being rebuilt looks like were making a very good start so yeah maybe we didnt play the beautiful game this season that man utd fans loved so much over the years, but watch out 2011/2012 were going to be back with a vengance
man utd please buy this player. we need this type of quality!
I watched him during world cup and this guy is top he will soon be in aclass of C.Ronald and Messi.
Sir A.F. please this is the time for you to bring this player to trafford.dont leave any stone unturn because very soon our rivals may be going in for what we've seen and is rightfully ours.
Sanchez sounds like he will undoubtably be a top class buy, but do united really need him? I understand alex.f was promised money to spend in the whole Rooney debarcle earlier this year but is it getting splashed just because its avaliable, 5 centre backs now all after a start and sanchez would make it 4 forwards in the mix with 30million golden boot Berbatov bringing up the rear??
Valencia, Nani, Park, Young and Sanchez? Not to mention Cleverley. If Sanchez does sign then it has to mean the end for either Nani or Berbatov. Doesn't it?
I like the way sanchez play. very good quality player much better then young . one thing i dont understand? then wny we sighing A.young??
ak To date we have not actually signed him, that is yet to be announced its only the press saying we have him.
I think Sanchez is making a very good decision by opting to play for Manchester united now that most aging players are making way for the younger ones. If he can just do what he is doing now in seria A, he is sure of having good time at the Old Traford.
the foolish pint sized chilean striker no way can b compared to messi. in this decade messi would always b the no 1. his young lad is just a piece of cake for messi. he will soon b in a collosseum downturn
what take too long for moderation
Sanchez in. young in. nani exchange +cash for Sneidjer. job done
I'd give my left bollock to get this kid at United next season. Let's face it tho, he's already a citeh player.
Go for him Sir Fergie,we can't for the wonder kid.United forever
Hes a decent player....man u can have him... man u will end up with all these high dollar forwards and still not win euro cup...and still with neg income come end of season...not a ronaldo caliber at all folks....
you know he is going to barca and not to manU...he already said that he promised his dad that one day he'll play for barca !!!! Fergie can look elswhere
I'm not sure what's going on behind the scenes but City are doing business under the press and media radar. It sounds like something has shaken City and they've decided enough is enough. Or mayhaps they stuck a wad on the table and made them an offer, take it or we're leaving! One thing is sure, the Traffs can't afford that sort of money. Ocean Finance have taken the phone off the hook.
If City were to continue pursuing him, after he has publically stated his desire to join only Barca, you would be printing an article saying 'Why Are City Still Chasing' him...as for him going to Trafford Rangers.....ha ha ha ha. Tick tock.... CTID
Were we not being "crazy" in our relentless pursuit of a player that didn't want to come to City, no? Then as soon as we give up the chase, we're "crazy" for not pursuing him relentlessly. City are damned if they do, damned if they don't. Just can't win against the mighty hacks and everyone else who has joined the anti-City brigade massif.
This story is based on a quote from last summer, a lot more things have been said and done since then, his biggest quote over the last few weeks is his prefered choice is Barca not United or City. I think United have the transfer money but not the wage structure in place to afford him. City have the money for both but not the name. Barca have the name and the money. Enuff said, he's going to Catalonia.
These silly season articles are getting a bit tedious.
There an interseting rumour going round , Man City are ready to make a bid for Messi and Barca being in so much debt may consider , it makes sense it will clear up all their debt completly ...£ 300 mil for messi
Its time the press started throwing loads of Shit press to the teams in europe , manly Barcalona.. lets start giving them a hard time ...
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