Giovanni Moreno

Giovanni Moreno

Name:Giovanni Moreno
Team: Racing (Argentina)
Birth date: 01.07.1986
Nationality: Colombia
EU Passport: No
End of Contract: 06.2015
Estimated Yearly Wage: 250.000 €
Estimated Market Value: 5.000.000 €

Position: Offensive Midfielder/Forward - Giovanni plays regularly as a linking player between the midfield and the forwards in a 4-3-1-2 system. He can also be used as a left midfielder in a flat 4-4-2, or as a forward.

Potential (0-10): 9 - Moreno is a tremendous talent, but a rare one too. To find a spot in a more competitive European league he needs to make some tactical adaptations. The biggest risk is the time, as Moreno was only 24 when he left Colombian football to play in Argentina.

Physical description: Much of his unusual profile comes from his physical attributes. He’s a thin and very tall player (1,93m). This is much more common in centre forwards than in creative players, but Moreno makes good use of his long legs to keep the ball away from opponents. His height can also be a useful resource to a more direct ball approach. He is not a very fast player.
Technical description: Left footed and extremely gifted player. It’s Very hard to take the ball away from him, as he combines his physical qualities with an unusual ball control. He’s also a threat for his shots, both from open play or free kicks.

Tactical description: Giovanni has good movement off the ball, both dropping to collect the ball and going forward to finishing positions. His decision making is also usually good and every time the ball reaches his feet, something can be expected from him. His main problem is that the position where he usually plays hardly exists in European football and if he’s to make a further step in his career, he needs to prove he can be useful also when the team does not have the ball.

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Miralem Pjanic

Miralem Pjanic

Name:Miralem Pjanic
Team: Lyon (France)
Birth date: 02.04.1990
Nationality: Bosnia
EU Passport: Yes
End of Contract: 06.2013
Estimated Yearly Wage: 1.500.000 €
Estimated Market Value: 20.000.000 €

Position: Central Midfielder - Pjanic plays as a central midfielder in a 4-3-3 system at Lyon. He can play both in more defensive or offensive roles.

Potential (0-10): 10 - Pjanic´s level is already very high for his age and it´s very likely that Pjanic can develop to be one of the best midfielders of his generation.
Physical description: Physically, Pjanic is not an impressive player. He´s not very strong, nor very tall (180 cm), but has both good acceleration and enough strength to win a few physical challenges in the midfield.

Technical description: Probably his best known attribute is the accuracy of his right foot, particularly on direct and indirect free kicks. But Pjanic is much more than a terrific free kick taker. His passing is precise and creative and he is involvement in offensive play is always a menace to the opposition, being very hard to stop his quick and short movements when on the ball.

Tactical description: If technically Pjanic is remarkable player, his understanding of the game is also worth to mention. Defensively he has a good working capacity, both in attitude and positioning. Offensively, he shows good awareness on off the ball movements, especially on the flanks. With his age, he still has good margin of progress in all areas of his game, and being an intelligent and gifted player, is only to expect that Pjanic can develop also in his comprehension of the game.

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Nene

Nene

Name:Nene
Team: Monaco (France)
Birth date: 19.07.1981
Nationality: Brazil
EU Passport: Yes
End of Contract: 06.2011
Estimated Yearly Wage: 1.500.000 €
Estimated Market Value: 4.000.000 €

Position: Left winger / midfielder - Nene plays as a left winger in Monaco. He can be used as an inside-left midfielder or as a forward.

Potential (0-10): 8 - At the age of 29, Nene is at the top of his game. He´s been the most influential player at Monaco and can be even more useful in a team with more global quality.
Physical description: Elegant player, 181cm, Nene uses some of his physical characteristics as a support to his more technical game. Has strength to hold defenders when in possession and speed to run away from challenges.

Technical description: His left foot is the most important part of his game. He uses it to at holding possession, creating passing solutions and delivering through balls and crosses. The ball in Nene´s left foot is always a safety for the team and a menace to the opposition.

Tactical description: Nene´s technical ability is only useful because he has good decision making. He has good off the ball movements and understands well his tactical job. Not known for his hard work, but also a player that has a good defensive attitude.

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Étienne Capoue

Étienne Capoue

Name:Étienne Capoue
Team: Toulouse (France)
Birth date: 11.07.1988
Nationality: France
EU Passport: Yes
End of Contract: 06.2014
Estimated Yearly Wage: 800.000 €
Estimated Market Value: 10.000.000 €

Position: Defensive Midfielder - Capoue plays as first man in front of 4 men defensive line. He plays a positional role, but his dynamic determines that he can be seen in very different places during a match.

Potential (0-10): 9 - Capoue already plays at very high level and would easily fit in most of top European teams. He’s got some tactical and decisional development to do and if he finds the right path it’s not hard to imagine him at a top club at some point in his career.

Physical description: He’s a tall player(1,89m), but his great physical attributes rely on the quickness of his movements and on the way he places his body well at every challenge. Of course, being a tall player helps him in areal challenges, also important in his role.

Technical description: Capoue maybe mostly a working player, but his technical level is very high as well. Very good at keeping and hiding the ball and also with good passing accuracy.

Tactical description: Capoue is a team player and understands well the importance of his role in the team’s balance. Defensively, the problems he feels come mostly from moments where the team finds itself too stretched in the field. In this area of the game, he would easily fit at wherever tactical model and would certainly benefit a lot with team improvements. Probably the area where he most needs to develop it’s his passing decisions. Not that he makes a lot of mistakes during a game, but he sometimes trusts too much his good passing quality and plays long too often. Here again, it’s likely that his improvement comes fast in this area as well, provided a better tactical model.

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Diego Biseswar

Diego Biseswar

Name:Diego Biseswar
Team: Feyenoord (Holland)
Birth date: 08.03.1988
Nationality: Holland
EU Passport: Yes
End of Contract: 06.2012
Estimated Yearly Wage: 800.000 €
Estimated Market Value: 5.000.000 €

Position: Winger - Biseswar can play either side, normally as a winger in 3 front men system. He has played in more free role in a 2 men front system and can also player as a wing midfielder.

Potential (0-10): 8 - Biseswar has some rare qualities that could make him a very good prospect for the future. For him ever to reach that level it would take some development in his tactical capacity.

Physical description: Small (1,73m), strong player. Biseswar has small quick legs that provide him fast acceleration movements, important to get away from defenders. Also to mention is his capacity to use his body to protect the ball from opposition.

Technical description: The most impressive aspect of Biseswar is his capacity to use his both feet with enormous quality. His shooting and crossing are a menace from almost anywhere and it is not easy to find another player with this capacity in the world. Apart from this, he’s also a very strong player at holding the ball in more inside positions, being a strong player in possession situations.

Tactical description: Biseswar likes to stay wide and if possible drop to the midfield, trying to get the ball to his feet and almost never in the space. This way of playing, and despite his qualities, limit the level of his game. Biseswar needs to improve his off the ball movements in order to become a less predictable player. If he does so, he can become a top player, if he doesn’t he will never get much better than the level he is now.
In defensive situations, Biseswar is not a very strong player but he is a useful one, maintaining a fair attitude towards defensive situations.

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Leroy Fer

Leroy Fer

Name:Leroy Fer
Team: Feyenoord (Holland)
Birth date: 05.01.1990
Nationality: Holland
EU Passport: Yes
End of Contract: 06.2012
Estimated Yearly Wage: 300.000 €
Estimated Market Value: 7.500.000 €

Position: Central Midfielder - Feyenoord plays on a 4-3-3 system, with 3 mobile midfielders. Leroy Fer plays his part in this area of the field.

Potential (0-10): 9 - His potential is rare and quite obvious, combining physical and technical attributes that are not easy to find in players of his age. Leroy Fer has every condition to be capable of playing in any team in the world. This, of course, is still not the case and Fer still has to develop in some areas of his game to reach such high level.

Physical description: Tall (1,88m), slim player. He’s also fast and very agile, having all the requisites to become very strong in physical challenges. That is still not the case as he still needs to learn body placement needs to be improved.

Technical description: Prefers the right foot and has a very good technique. His control and passing are consistent and he’s also a very good dribbler, using this skill often in transition situations.

Tactical description: If physically and technically Fer has full potential to become a top player, he needs to improve his tactical game to really become one. He’s a very reactive player in transition moments of the game, both defensive and offensive, and gives good support and fair quality to possession in more organized play. Also to mention is his very good working attitude. Defensively, he needs to work on his positioning, anticipating more to run less. In this area, it’s also important that he becomes, physically, a more dominant player. To achieve this, he needs to learn how to use and place his body better, as he doesn’t lack nor agility or strength. Offensively, improving his off the ball movements and arriving better and more often in finishing positions can be a decisive point to bring his football to the next level. Also, a more mature decision making when on the ball is necessary.
These aspects mentioned that need to be improved are only normal given the youth of the player.

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Ibrahim Afellay

Ibrahim Afellay

Name:Ibrahim Afellay
Team: PSV (Holland)
Birth date: 02.04.1986
Nationality: Holland
EU Passport: Yes
End of Contract: 06.2011
Estimated Yearly Wage:2.000.000 €
Estimated Market Value: 12.000.000 €

Position: Central Midfielder - Afellay’s qualities make it possible to use him in almost any midfield position. His qualities, though, make him a specially strong player in central positions, bringing the best of his playmaking ability.

Potential (0-10): 10 - Afellay’s talent make it possible to think that he can become one of the best midfielders in the world. He needs to develop some areas of his game and it’s important that he gets the opportunity to play in a more competitive environment.

Physical description: An elegant player, 182 cm. Afellay’s game is not very physical but he knows how to use his body and it’s not an handicap to him in any aspect.

Technical description: Rare capacity on the ball, feeling comfortable under pressure and having an excellent passing capacity. He’s also very good with quick, short dribbling and has good finishing, both from short and long range. Also to mention is his ability on set plays, delivering the ball well from corners and indirect free kicks. Prefers the right foot.

Tactical description: When the team organizes play he likes to be a part of every action, picking up the ball from the defenders and offering his playmaking qualities to the game. He’s also strong in transition moments, quickly arriving in finishing positions. At PSV most of the games are not demanding but if Afellay moves to more competitive leagues, he’ll need to be more aggressive both defensively and offensively. He has every conditions to adapt easily to this approach as his attitude is very good.

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Diego Rivero

Diego Rivero

Name:Diego Rivero
Team: San Lorenzo (Argentina)
Birth date: 11.08.1981
Nationality: Argentina
EU Passport: No
End of Contract: 06.2011
Estimated Yearly Wage:200.000 €
Estimated Market Value: 1.500.000 €

Position: Center /Right Midfielder - Used either wide on the right or as a central midfielder. Can play with quality in both positions but probably his potential will be higher playing inside as a transition midfielder.

Potential (0-10): 7 - Due to his age, there is not much more evolution to expect from Rivero and his potential is his current ability. He hasn’t had the opportunity to try his luck in Europe and he might never do it. It’s a shame because he has rare qualities that should make him a very useful player for many clubs in the top leagues.

Physical description: 165 cm. Small but very solid player. Despite playing as an inside midfielder he has very good pace and acceleration. Also to mention is his capacity to make quick turns, a consequence of his low center of gravity.

Technical description: Rivero is very good technically. Good ball control and passing and also a natural ability to dribble due to the combination of his technical and physical attributes. He also reveals a good capacity shooting from long range, having scored quite few great goals in his career.

Tactical description: The characteristics of Rivero make him a very good all round midfield player. Despite being more used in wider positions he can be much more useful inside, where he’s very good on possession play. Very strong creating passing solutions, controlling and making quick decisions. He can then complement this with an unusual ability to accelerate the game with the ball. Defensively he’s also very useful, pressing with great intensity and good aggressiveness. The only risk about Rivero might be his ability to respond to a different football.

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Sebastian Blanco

Sebastian Blanco

Name: Sebastian Blanco
Team: Lánus (Argentina)
Birth date: 15.03.1988
Nationality: Argentina
EU Passport: No
End of Contract: 06.2011
Estimated Yearly Wage: 145.000 €
Estimated Market Value: 5.000.000 €

Position: Left or Right Midfielder - Usually plays on the left flank on a 4-4-2 system. But he can also play on the right or in a more offensive role, as a winger.With his creativity might also be possible to use him in a central role, but that hasn’t been the case in Lanus.

Potential (0-10): 9 - His technical quality and vision makes him an outstanding prospect. He still has to improve but shows already a very consistent level.

Physical description: 166 cm. Small, light player, like many other “pibes” that emerged from argentine football. The physical contact can be a problem to Blanco but his physical attributes also allow him to be quick on acceleration and changing directions.

Technical description: He usually plays on the left, but he prefers the right foot, being also comfortable to use his left one, specially when crossing. Is good on 1x1 situations, with quick dribbles but doesn’t base his game around those situations. Is passing is very good, with his technique being a good support to his vision of the game. Also to mention is his finishing ability, being a player so many times playing close to the penalty box. His shots have good accuracy and precision, which makes him a dangerous player when coming into these areas.

Tactical description: Unlike many technical young players, Blanco doesn’t have the problem of hanging to much to the ball and constantly searching for 1x1 situations. His playing decisions and vision are very good in spite of his age. Playing from wide positions, he likes to have some freedom, arriving in other areas. On transitional plays, and with more space, he becomes specially dangerous, coming inside and picking up very well the right man to continue the play. With more tight defences, he stays wide, trying to create good crossing situations. Being a creative player, he’s not a particularly strong player on defensive situations, but he does his teamwork job well, understanding the importance of it.

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Nicolas Gaitan

Nicolas Gaitan

Name: Nicolas Gaitan
Team: Boca Juniors (Argentina)
Birth date: 23.02.1988
Nationality: Argentina
EU Passport: No
End of Contract: 06.2011
Estimated Yearly Wage: 180.000 €
Estimated Market Value: 3.000.000 €

Position: Winger - Usually plays as a free front man, coming wide, both at left or right. His natural position is as winger, either side and would adapt more easily to a 4-3-3 system because it’s defensively less demanding. With his age and potential he can easily become a useful player in other systems too.

Potential (0-10): 8 - His talent is very easy to spot. If he can learn more about the tactical side of the game, both in decision making and positional play, he can easily get to a very high level.

Physical description: 173 cm, very easy to say his best physical attribute is the speed. Can accelerate very quickly and has good agility and balance. He’s not a physically strong player but is also not too fragile in physical challenges.

Technical description: His left foot is his weapon. Very good technically, both in first touch, passing, crossing and shooting. His main attribute, though, is the dribbling. Very fast receiving, turning and getting away from defenders, being very difficult to stop when running with the ball.

Tactical description: His talent makes it very easy to find offensive movements where he can be strong. In transition and more space, it becomes more obvious, but also with more organized defences he can be a weapon, with fast 1-2 combinations. The problem with Gaitan is that this is the only thing that has been asked from him. He needs to start playing in a more demanding tactical environment, where he can learn to make better decisions and to position himself in the defensive moments of the game. This is what separates Gaitan from a promising player from a top class one.

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Jonathan Gómez

Jonathan Gómez

Name: Jonathan Gomez
Team: Rosario Central (Argentina)
Birth date: 21.12.1989
Nationality: Argentina
EU Passport: No
End of Contract: 06.2011
Estimated Yearly Wage: 40.000 €
Estimated Market Value: 2.000.000 €

Position: Right Midfielder - Currently plays in a 4-4-2 system. His characteristics make it possible to adapt into almost every offensive position, provided that he's given enough freedom to play his game.

Potential (0-10): 7 - His talent is not up for discussion. At the moment, though, he has some areas of his game that need to be improved to make his performances more regular. This is normal for a player of his youth and should easily be solved with time. You can easily see him playing for most teams in top European leagues in 1 or 2 years, depending on his development. He’s still quite unknown, but that shouldn’t last for a long time…

Physical description: Around 1,70 cm, very quick feet and great balance. He's also very aggressive which makes him tough to beat in physical challenges.

Technical description: Right footed, his trademark it's his capacity to run with the ball. Always giving great energy to the game and with the ball very close to his feet. Can dribble in wide or inside positions and is also very strong in crossing and long range shooting. He's still a bit irregular in some aspects, but that is mostly due to his youth (decision making).

Tactical description: With ball, loves to have freedom of movement, starting from wide positions but showing up on central positions as the game goes on. Knows about his skill and sometimes gets a bit carried away, holding to the ball for too long. This is an area that he needs to develop on his game – decision making – to become the solid player he can be. Important to mention the character he shows at such young age, trying to get involved and leading the team in many moments. Also important is his tremendous working attitude and aggressive display in defensive moments of the game.

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