Football Dispatch

Thursday Football
03 January 2008
by Jerrad Peters

Valencia hope to be competitive for Ever
Apparently, Boca Juniors figured that now was the best time to sell the top, young player in Argentinean football. They had better hope they were right. Because 19 is a rather young age to be parting with a player who has done nothing to dissuade the common notion that he is of the once-in-a-generation variety. Perhaps they know something the rest of us do not. Or, perhaps the player requested the move. Although, after less than a full year among Boca’s starting-XI, it’s hard to believe that his ego would have become so inflated.

Nevertheless, Valencia shelled-out about 12.5M-pounds for Ever Banega, Wednesday. Boca director Jose Beraldi, somewhat enhancing the notion that the transaction was made comfortably and in good faith on both sides, made sure to state that the deal had been achieved without the intervention of an agent. Good on them, at least, for that. But one has to wonder, could Boca not have made more from his departure had they waited at least one or two years to hurry him out the door?

Alexandre Pato, for example, joined AC Milan from Internacional for 15.4M-pounds in the summer as a 17-year-old. Granted, Pato looks to be a once-in-a-lifetime player; never mind once-in-a-generation. Conversely, Ronaldo moved from Cruzeiro to PSV Eindhoven for roughly 3M-pounds as a 17-year-old in 1994. His figures aren’t relatable, however. The transfer market is a much different place 13-years on.

Perhaps the most appropriate comparison can be made with Fernando Gago. As a 20-year-old, he left Boca Juniors for Real Madrid at a rate of 15M-pounds. Banega’s value might have increased similarly over the next 12-months.

Robinho, however, takes the cake. At 21, Madrid paid 30M-pounds to Santos for his signature. It’s doubtful that Banega would have commanded such a fee in two years’ time; but it may have been a chance worth taking. As it stands, history would seem to indicate that Boca followed the trend with Banega and received fair compensation. As much as a young player’s value can skyrocket in one or two years, it can also plummet – whether through injury, lack of form, or whatever.

It’s the destination, more than anything else, which serves as this issue’s best talking-point. Valencia, while a big club, are not in the same class as Real Madrid, Barcelona, AC Milan, Inter Milan, Juventus, or Manchester United. Madrid, for their part, already have Gago and, therefore, really had no need of such a similar player of similar age.

Barcelona are another story. Ronaldinho looks to be on his way out, Deco is already 29-years-old and rarely fit, and Xavi is getting along in years as well. Banega might have been a good fit at the Nou Camp. And with the likes of Lionel Messi and Giovanni Dos Santos playing at the club, it might have made for an unbelievable youth revolution.

Ditto AC Milan. Gattuso, Pirlo, Ambrossini, and Seedorf are getting somewhat long in the tooth and the club is in desperate need of youth throughout the lineup. In Pato, they already have a world-class teenager. Why not another? Imagine a midfield diamond with Kaka at the head and Banega at the rear.

Valencia, however, had the most need of him. Currently seventh in La Liga and already bounced out of Europe, Los Che has also issued pink-slips to veterans David Albelda and Santiago Canizares. The likelihood is that Benega will fill Albelda’s place in the team. Unfortunately, that means that the 19-year-old will be under an enormous amount of pressure from the get-go. Of course, if he can shoulder it, he’ll just prove that he came at a bargain.