According to reports in Argentina and Spain, Arsenal are close to a deal for Argentine prospect Maximiliano Romero.
The 16-year-old, who has yet to make his league debut for club Velez Sarsfield, is apparently the subject of a €6 million deal that would see him stay in Buenos Aires for two years to continue his development.
Arseblog News isn’t convinced in the slightest by the story, despite quotes from the player, his agent and the club’s president.
Romero says of his impending big-money contract: “Talks with Arsenal are at an advanced stage. It is an immense joy that has appeared in my life. We must begin to learn English.”
While Rolando Zarate, his agent, has unsurprisingly, bigged up his client’s potential: “Maxi has huge potential. I went to London to talk about Arsenal’s offer, and then took it back to [Velez president] Raul Gamez.
“Arsenal agreed to our main terms: that the player remains at Velez for two more years. Maxi is going to complete his apprenticeship at a great club like Velez. I met with Arsene Wenger twice in London. I negotiated with him and then with his assistants. They heard about Maxi Romero through their scouts in America. He was the player who most impressed them.”
Velez Sarsfield’s president Raul Gamez is also on record about a potential offer from London: “They have made an offer for Maxi Romero. I don’t want to talk figures just yet, but it’s a big offer.”
It all looks pretty convincing on paper. So why do we smell a rat? Well…
Aside from Arsenal shelling out big cash for a player who hasn’t played for his club, it seems odd we’d let him stay in Argentina for two-years. No? Even when we’ve not been able to secure a work permit (Campbell, Vela, Botelho, Wellington and Ryo come to mind) we’ve dragged prospects to Europe so we can keep a closer eye on them.
Moreover, the deal is apparently for 80% of his image rights. What happened to the other 20%? It’s not our style to go in for complicated third-party agreements.
The biggest indicator that this is high on the poometer is the mention of Rolando Zarate; the brother of QPR’s Mauro. He’s a Mr 10%, who along with other brother Sergio, is renowned for spreading nonsense rumours in the hope of upping the value of those he represents.
A cursory glance at the career of younger sibling Mauro, his client, sees stints at Velez Sarsfield, Al Sadd, Birmingham City, Lazio, Inter Milan, Velez Sarsfield again, West Ham United and Queens Park Rangers in the last eight years alone. The pattern tends to see the player linked with the world’s biggest clubs before he ends up somewhere smaller. Within three months he’s moaning and then he leaves soon after.
It’s all just a bit off.
If we’re proved wrong, so be it, but we fully expect Arsene to shoot it down at the first time of asking.
Word on the street is he’s the next Messi/Aguero/Maradona/Henry/Vieira
The only video I’ve found shows him scoring lots of headers!
In addition to that, his agent told me that his versatility means that he could also be the next Oliver Kahn/Roberto Carlos/Ronaldinho/Beckenbauer/Makelele
So he’s no Charlie Adam? Wasting out time
I can’t see Wenger buying an old reggae singer http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=C79spWeuakU
I’m more of a fan of https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WpIAc9by5iU but that’s probably because of the Prodigy sample.
He has Pato’s hair so he must be good.
I hear it’s feathery soft and repels water.
Not even worth a poo rating
Yeah.. wheres the poo? Show me the poo..
If the quote from the kid is genuine it sounds pretty convincing. Agents talk crap all the time, as it’s their job, but for a 16-year old to downright lie about having contract talks would be fairly uncommon, I’d say.
I believe – admittedly only based off Football Manager – that under 18s in certain countries (including most, if not all in South America) can’t move to certain counties before they’re 18, of which England is one. Someone more well-informed than I can probably clarify.
This could be true. I had a friend in high school who got a trial with Espanyol. Apparently the coaches liked him but because he was 17 so he couldn’t sign a contract. It’s also possible that was just a story but it sounded legit at the time
Won’t know what to believe until I get my poometer, Blogs.
I saw this kid playing on his local supermarket’s five a side team whilst holidaying in Argentina. This kid is at least 6 foot 5 already and leaps like a salmon. Can’t wait until he joins
… the say the worlds a small place, but really?
9 dislikes? come on people how gullible are you. this one dude happened to be in Argentina whilst this guy was playing for his supermarket (?) and the tourist decided to watch, remember maxs name and attributes all so how ever many years later he could write this comment. Sorry but odds are it never happened
What are you accusing me of good Sir? I will not be accused of foul play in my own bathroom.
What would the benefit be to Velez in having him for 2 years anyway? Do they take their u-18 league that seriously?
This is poo. Hot sticky slimy watery poo. Wenger aint gonna sign someone and leave them for 2 years when his own contract expires around then. Who will be saddled with the burden of putting the kid in the arsenal way should Wenger decide to retire?
Retire?.. hahahaha
Players from South America can’t move before they turn 18.
Messi did, among others.
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
* * * * * *
* * * * * *
* * * * * * * * *
* * * * *
* * * * *
* * * * * * * * * * *
🙂
That was supposed to spell “POO” and it looked good until I posted it!!
He definitely looks like a young Maradona.
Up until the point he exchanged his body for cocaine and pasties.
Looks like a latin Rory McIlroy if you ask me.
For (rambling) pete sake! Where is the poo-meter??!!
He looks like the love child of paddy mc guiness and john o shea. Shifty! Don’t let the thumbs up and topper logo fool you. He’s a ne’er to do
I know he’s young and has time to improve, but his hair needs a hell of a lot of work!
🙂
I watched a video of this dude and I am impressed. He has awareness, he’s intelligent, he can make plays and provide assist. Just about all the qualities you find in one amazing argentine player – I forget his name 😉
You are of course talking about Lord Nelson Vivas.
I’m not even registering this until Dick Law has spent 8 months living in a Buenos Aires hotel.
Hard to get excited about this signing especially since he won’t be here for two years if it’s true. It could turn out to be a great signing down the road, but it certainly doesn’t compare to signing a Walcott or Chamberlin from South Hampton where even at their young ages were more proven commodities. Of course it’s a long shot for him to make it into the first team squad and contribute, but like with Major League Baseball teams in the US it’s often about quantity of prospects as much as quality when they are young. Not all will… Read more »
His agent dropped me a cable and revealed that the lad is good in the air, good with both feet and can therefore cut in from either flanks whilst playing as a wide player and that he can also play upfront on his own or behind a target man in the mould of TGSTEL. Most importantly, he has mental strength/toughness and while not greasing his hair, a cold stare alá Thierry Henry
Thought Rory was a United Fan
No way this could be right. IIRC England doesn’t allow partial ownership arrangements (which is one of the reasons that William Carvalho is still sitting in Portugal). There’s no way Arsenal would be doing a deal for 80% of a player when that means you can’t register him until you buy out the rest.
I would say due to our great form and position in the best league in the world that there is going to be a lot of this happening.