Saturday 21 March 2015 22:16, UK
He’s the Argentine striker causing a stir in his first season in Europe. Luciano Vietto is only 21 but has already scored 18 goals for Villarreal since his summer move from Racing Club and is now being linked with a move to either Barcelona, Real Madrid or Liverpool in the near future.
But what more do we need to know about Vietto?
Adam Bate looked into the forward’s past and spoke to Guillem Balague to find out more about the youngster’s future…
What’s his background?
Vietto suffered the disappointment of being released by Estudiantes as a young teenager but bounced back at Racing Club soon after and was given his top-flight debut by Diego Simeone at the age of 17. “I will be grateful to him for the rest of my life,” Vietto told LFP. He really made a name for himself the following year with eight goals in the Torneo during the second phase of the 2012/13 season. Vietto continued his development and briefly partnered Racing icon and former Champions League hero Diego Milito up front with the ex-Inter man a huge admirer. “He is a very impressive player,” said Milito. “One of the best to emerge at Racing in a long, long time.”
What type of player is he?
Vietto can drop deep or play as a poacher but it’s his savvy in front of goal that’s really stood out this season. “He’s fast. Not that fast but he’s very clever,” Revista de La Liga’s Guillem Balague told Sky Sports. “Even though he hasn’t got a huge amount of physical ability, he uses his body well and the pace that he has got very well.” With his small stature, he’s been compared to Sergio Aguero and, understandably, it’s a comparison he welcomes. “It is great to be compared with players like that,” said Vietto. “I would love to be half as good as Kun Aguero. He is a great player and he shows it every day. As I said I would love to be a player like him.”
Why all the fuss right now?
His total of 12 La Liga goals puts him alongside Mario Mandzukic and Gareth Bale among the top 10 goalscorers in Spain. No other player under the age of 23 has more than seven goals. “He’s definitely the best young player of the season in Spain,” said Balague. “He’s the best in terms of his stats but also in terms of the impression he’s made too having scored five of his goals from the bench.” There have been some big goals too. Vietto might be grateful to Simeone but that didn’t stop him scoring the only goal in the Vicente Calderon earlier this season to inflict Atletico Madrid’s first home league defeat in over 18 months. “I am so happy for him because he always showed a lot of skills and could do it,” said a gracious Simeone.
What does the future hold?
Vietto is already being linked with a move away. “There is a lot of competition for him,” said agent Jorge Cyterszpiler, in quotes attributed to him in AS. “He could sign for Liverpool, we know that he is admired by the Reds, as well as Real Madrid and two Bundesliga clubs. I think he could leave Villarreal in the summer.” However, Balague believes Barcelona are best placed to get him. “Vietto is negotiating with Barcelona about the possibility of joining them in 2016. It hasn’t been finalised yet but they are favourites at the moment to get him. I know in the eyes of many that will become ‘Guillem says Vietto is going to Barcelona’ but I’m not saying that. We will see if it gets confirmed.”
Watch Villarreal v Sevilla live on Sky Sports 5 HD from 4pm on Sunday
