Augsburg linked with promising young Argentine attacker
Transfermarkt.de reports that FC Augsburg are actively seeking a €12 million valued prospect from Argentina's third largest club.
FC Augsburg will definitely need to consider some attacking upgrades over the January transfer. Germany's Fuggerstädter appear destined to factor into this season's relegation race as the campaign nears its half-way mark. Sixteen league goals (10 from the striker corps) certainly isn't a bad haul, but persistent injury problems have prevented head-coach Marcus Weizierl from finding consistent deployments on his top axis.
The club's most reliable goal scorers (André Hahn and Florian Niederlechner) are both 31-years-of-age. Niederlechner in particular regularly succumbs to injures. The same applies to oft-injured Icelandic striker Alfred Finnbogason. Venezuelan Sergio Cordova has been something of a bust this season after returning from his loan with Arminia Bielefeld.
Accordingly, Transfermarkt reports that the club may be preparing to shell out some significant change for a young Argentine prospect. Nineteen-year-old Alan Velasco of club Athletico Independiente may cost Stefan Reuter and the FCA upwards of €12 million, but a little extra excitement and a few extra goals in the relegation race would constitute money well spent.
That's before one even gets to the potential re-sale value of what could potentially be an excellent developmental player.
Transfermarkt's area correspondent Scott Christiansen calls the winger "one of the most promising players in Argentina" in an article appearing on the German site. The TM Area Manager also notes that the youngster, who can also slot in at ten, "carries the the burden for his team at only 19".
Christiansen claims that Velasco's dribbling prowess and ability to circumvent one-vs-one is very advanced for his age.
The TM editors cite their own sources to claim that Velasco has actually already been offered to Augsburg and that contactual negotiations are ongoing.