According to Skysports.com, Liverpool, along with Manchester United, Real Madrid and Lyon are reportedly tracking the progress of young Chilean winger Alexis Sanchez. Sanchez has expressed recently his desire to impress enough at this summer’s World Cup to move from his current club Udinese to a bigger team:
“My agent has told me that a lot of big clubs have asked about me. I’m still focused on Udinese, but I have personal ambitions this summer and England and Spain are sensational leagues.”
Sanchez, nicknamed “El Nino Maravilla” or “wonder boy”, has been the subject of some extraordinary hype since breaking into the Cobreloa team back in 2005. After making his way through the youth ranks to U16 level, Sanchez was picked to start his first league game in the Chilean League’s Apertura (Opening) championship. Only a few months later, the youngster found himself starting in the Copa Libertadores against defending champions Colombia’s Once Caldas, and it was not long before European clubs were looking at his talents.
Italian club Udinese beat many other top clubs to Sanchez’s signature in 2006. Due to his young age though, the Italian club felt it was in the player’s best interests to return to South America and he was loaned back to Chilean side Colo Colo for the start of 2006 Clausura (Closing) championship. He helped the team to the title and followed it with the Apertura championship in 2007. After his spell in Chile, he was loaned out once more by Udinese, but this time he was sent to Argentinean giants River Plate.
He had an unfortunate start to his time in Argentina, and he was out for a few months with an ankle injury which prevented him from settling in at his new club. Once he recovered though, he became an integral member of the squad, helping River Plate to the 2008 Clausura championship and impressing in the Copa Revancha final against arch rivals Boca Juniors, winning a penalty after going on a mazy run past 5 defenders (footage shown below). The performances impressed Sanchez’s employers, Udinese, enough for them to introduce him into the first team after returning from loan for the start of the 2008/09 season.
Now a fan favourite in Udine after making a name for himself during the last two seasons in Italy, Sanchez is famed for his trickery and skill on a ball. He plays mostly on the wing, but he can also play up front or in attacking midfield, and he is fast and powerful when making forward runs. Although he is only of a diminutive stature at 5ft 7, the 21 year old’s speed and great technique get him out of most tight situations and is excellent one-on-one with opposition defenders. As mentioned, he is versatile as well and he can play on either wing. Although he can be selfish on the ball sometimes and holds on to possession too long, he is very capable of scoring goals as well as providing for others.
In recent seasons, he is become a regular at international level for Chile under coach Marcelo Bielsa, playing 26 times and scoring 8 goals since his debut against New Zealand in April 2006. He did return to U-20 level in 2007 to play in the South American Youth Championships and the FIFA U-20 World Cup, but during qualifying for the World Cup in South Africa, he has become an important member of the senior team, scoring two goals against Bolivia in a 4-0 victory. Whether Liverpool can afford him is another matter but with Udinese currently struggling in Serie A, and Sanchez stating his desire to play in England, the Reds may want to take another look at the youngster.
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