ARGENTINA has produced some of the world’s greatest-ever footballers – and many have played in the Premier League.
Manchester City fans are dreaming of snagging the man who is quite possibly the best of all-time, in Lionel Messi.
Lionel Messi may soon be a member of the Premier League’s Argentine clubCredit: PA:Press Association
The Barcelona star wants out of the Camp Nou and could land in Eastlands amid reports of personal terms being agreed.
Should Messi enter English football, he will either become one of the greatest hits or misses the game has ever seen – joining these ten countrymen.
HIT: Sergio Aguero
When City signed Sergio Aguero from Atletico Madrid in 2011, they knew they were getting something special. The Argentine had torn up LaLiga and was hoped to herald the Citizens’ most successful period to date.
On the final day of his debut season, he secured City their first Premier League title with a ridiculously climactic injury time winner past QPR.
Six years later he became the club’s all-time top scorer, with a further three titles in the bag. The definition of a hit.
Sergio Aguero etched his name into Man City folklore in 2012Credit: PA:Press Association
MISS: Juan-Sebastian Veron
Juan-Sebastian Veron has more Premier League winners medals than Steven Gerrard, Harry Kane, Gareth Bale and Paul Pogba. So why is he a miss?
Expectations were sky high for the midfielder when Manchester United broke the English transfer record to bring him over from Lazio in 2001.
But fitness and injury problems meant he failed to muster any sense of consistency and he was moved on to Chelsea after two years, where he was even worse.
Juan-Sebastian Veron won a title but failed to make his mark in EnglandCredit: Reuters
HIT: Carlos Tevez
To make an impact at one club is hard enough, let alone two. Carlos Tevez did it at three English clubs.
Controversially signed by West Ham in 2006, he spearheaded their escape from relegation and even netted the vital winner at Old Trafford for their final day miracle.
Tevez then stayed in Manchester to win two titles with United, later joining City and gleefully burning bridges with his former club en route to another league crown.
Carlos Tevez was never afraid to pour salt on his rivals’ woundsCredit: Getty Images – Getty
MISS: Gonzalo Higuain
It is not Gonzalo Higuain’s fault that he arrived just as the worst weeks of Maurizio Sarri’s time in West London began.
The Italian coach had never really clicked with the Chelsea fanbase when, in January of the 2018/19 season, he loaned in old pal Gonzalo to lead his line.
Nightmare thrashings at the hands of Bournemouth and Manchester City, plus defeat in a somewhat farcical League Cup final and an early exit from the FA Cup, magnified Higuain’s poor five-goal return.
Gonzalo Higuain was the wrong man at the wrong time for ChelseaCredit: Getty Images – Getty
HIT: Javier Mascherano
The salt to Carlos Tevez’s pepper in West Ham’s daring, and controversial route to safety in 2006/07.
Javier Mascherano was a rock in the Hammers’ midfield and quickly moved on to Liverpool.
In over three years at Anfield, the Argentine made almost 100 league appearances and few players worldwide have matched in his anchor man abilities in the past two decades.
West Ham and Liverpool found a real gem in Javier MascheranoCredit: Bradley Ormesher – The Times
MISS: Angel Di Maria
It might not be that Angel Di Maria cost almost £60m that angers Manchester United fans – or that he only scored four goals.
It might not even be that he was relied upon as a marquee signing to lead the doomed post-Fergie era – or that he has constantly talked of his dislike for the club since he left.
No, it is probably more that he has been world class for every club he has played for apart from United, where he was absolutely rubbish.
Angel Di Maria was in no mood to tone down his celebrations when returning to Old Trafford with PSG last year.Credit: AFP or licensors
HIT: Julio Arca
A mid-sized Premier League club signing up a good South American prospect earns plenty of kudos these days, but Peter Reid and Sunderland did it 20 years ago.
Costing £3.5m from Argentinos Juniors, left-back Arca went on to become an English football mainstay for well over a decade.
A total of 13 years in the North-East may have included a few in the Championship, but Arca can always count on the hearts of all at Sunderland and Middlesbrough.
Julio Arca was plucked from obscurity to star in the top-flightCredit: News Group Newspapers Ltd
MISS: Ricky Alvarez
Staying on Wearside, attacking midfielder Ricky Alvarez came to define Sunderland’s descent into madness after signing in 2014.
Already capped by Argentina, the Inter Milan loanee was guaranteed to sign for around £10m if the team beat relegation – impossible to lose, right? Well. Alvarez suffered from a long-term knee injury as Sunderland stayed up and the club contested the automatic purchase.
Fifa rejected their claim and they were forced to pay Inter, before losing Alvarez to Sampdoria for free because he never actually signed a permanent contract. Oh, and he sued them for lost earnings.
Sunderland certainly did not get their money’s worth with Ricky AlvarezCredit: Action Images – Reuters
HIT: Pablo Zabaleta
No other Argentine has surpassed 300 Premier League appearances, making Pablo Zabaleta a shoe-in for the ‘hit’ column.
The right-back enjoyed nine years at City having enjoyed a fantastic piece of timing by signing the day before Sheikh Mansour bought the club.
Two titles and a PFA Team of the Year appearance underpinned a solid and dependable time in England, capped with three seasons at West Ham.
Pablo Zabaleta scored the first goal against QPR back in 2012 – before City were forced into comeback heroicsCredit: Times Newspapers Ltd
MISS: Mauricio Pellegrino
It is rare to find a man who has flopped as both a player AND a coach.
But, Mauricio Pellegrino managed it with a quiet spell at Liverpool before hanging up his boots.
A stint as Southampton boss lasted less than a year and he left the Saints on the verge of relegation having splurged £19m on fellow Argentine disaster Guido Carrillo.
Southampton fans do not fondly remember Mauricio PellegrinoCredit: Getty Images – Getty
Man City ‘to pay Lionel Messi record £450m over five years with £225m BONUS as dad Jorge prepares to meet Barcelona’
Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk
