A SENIOR Chelsea scout witnessed an incredible moment during a spying mission to assess a top South American target in Colombia last night.
The Blues’ official was in Bogota to track the progress of teenage forward Neyser Villarreal, who sparked chaos in a derby clash against Santa Fe by standing on the ball.
The 19-year-old winger was immediately booked by the referee for showboating as tensions between the two rival clubs flared on the pitch and in the stands.
Villarreal was the standout player for Colombia’s team at this year’s South American Under-20 championships, where he finished as the tournament’s top scorer with eight goals and four assists.
But the Millonarios starlet is no stranger to controversy in his short professional career, having missed training with his club after being inundated with offers to move overseas last month.
Porto, Inter Miami and Watford are all keen to sign the talented attacker, who can play in any position across the frontline and has a contract that is currently set to expire later this year.
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But now Chelsea have stepped up their interest in Villarreal by sending their top scout in the region all the way from Sao Paulo to Bogota to check up on him.
Stamford Bridge is already home to a huge contingent of South American stars and many more have been signed by the Blues and farmed out for experience elsewhere.
That number includes Colombian U20 teammate Oscar Perea, who was signed by BlueCo-owned Strasbourg last summer.
Villarreal’s ceiling appears to be higher as he caught the eye with his dynamic dribbling and shooting at the South American Under-20 championships.
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His ability to maneuver in tight spaces often saw him draw the attention of multiple defenders, but he easily beat opponents in one-on-one situations with body feints and quick changes of direction.
His pace made him a constant threat when Colombia counterattacked and he proved adept at instigating one-twos to break defensive lines around congested penalty areas.
Scouts noted his explosive acceleration made it look like he had an extra gear while the power and accuracy on his shots was also impressive.
The teenager may need to work on the consistency of his final ball, but he demonstrated a variety of driven and floated crosses during the tournament as well as some astute decision making in the final third.
Although naturally stronger shooting with his right foot, Villarreal showed a tendency to cut inside from the right and attempt curling left-footed shots towards the far post, which showed room for improvement.
Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk
