Paraguayan central defender Antolin Alcaraz committed to Wigan prior to the World Cup. Roberto Martinez was emphatic in his praise at the time of the signing back in May:
“We are thrilled to have been able to capture a player of the calibre of Antolin. I think everyone will realise what a quality player he is when we see him at the World Cup for Paraguay. He is a highly versatile defender with great awareness and distribution and has great pride in keeping clean sheets. He is entering the best period of his career and is looking forward to adding to his international and European experience, as well as playing for his country in the World Cup.”
Martinez’s prediction of a strong World Cup was prophetic. If anything, Alcaraz’s gritty performance prompted some confusion about the Wigan transfer in the ensuing days, with rumors swirling of new (perhaps better) offers. And Alcaraz himself was quoted in early July as stating that “there is a possibility that we can realize other options.” However, Martinez subsequently sought to dispel any concern that their man was having second thoughts, insisting that this was simply a misunderstanding in translation. Personally, I’m not sure I completely buy the “translation” explanation, but Alcaraz’s work permit has now issued and Alcaraz appears to have put regrets (if any) behind him.
Given the way it has played out, Martinez’s efforts to secure an early deal (and a free transfer at that) appear to have been very shrewd indeed.
The Statistics
Opinion…
Andy
“To put it bluntly: No sale. He’s a Wigan defender and while what I saw at the World Cup impressed me, I think they will feel the loss of Titus Bramble and only begin to ship even more goals.
I’d like him to prove me wrong, but with middling fixtures and a pretty active market at £4.5m in FPL I’m not enticed by this option at all.
Good luck to Wigan though, I like Roberto Martinez and them – they will need players like Alcaraz this season, but not for my fantasy wares.”
Alcaraz is 28. He began playing professionally at the age of 19 in Argentina. More recently, he spent the last three seasons with Club Brugge in Belgium after spending five-plus seasons with Beira-Mar in Portugal. He has played the majority of his team’s games in each season. On the attacking side, he has scored at least one goal in all but one of the last seven seasons, but has never scored more than three in a single campaign.
A relative newcomer to the Paraguayan national team, Alcaraz grabbed his opportunity and was a standout for the squad during their impressive World Cup run, scoring a goal in their opening game against Italy (video). In addition to facing Italy, Alcaraz was central to Paraguay’s 0-0 scoreline with Japan in the round of 16 and battled valiantly in the 0-1 defeat to Spain in the quarters, potentially addressing questions in both these games about his ability to play against top level competition.
The Prospects
Completely aside from his goal against Italy, Alcaraz’s World Cup performance reinforced his reputation as a smart reader of the game. He has consistently managed to impress his club teams, but has usually taken some time to get settled. At Club Brugge, for example, he managed only 10 appearances in his first season with the club, before becoming a regular for the last two years. Similarly, and although not a perfect comparison, Alcaraz arrives in England a year after compatriot and national team teammate Paulo da Silva, who debuted last year for Sunderland. Two years Alcaraz’s senior, da Silva was consistent but not spectacular during his first season in the league, and subject to heavy rotation.
Although one can look at Alcaraz’s own history and at da Silva’s Sunderland experience to have some concern about potential playing time, there is every reason to believe that Alcaraz will get substantial minutes. The smooth-talking Martinez is looking to turn matters around for Wigan after last season’s relegation scare, and looking to newcomers to raise the bar. So far, Alcaraz joins James McArthur, Mauro Boselli, and Ali Al Habsi as new faces that have already signed, with Martinez promising that he’s not done yet.
It cannot hurt in terms of transition to have a Spanish-speaking manager in Martinez or the presence of another Spanish-speaking teammate in fellow new arrival Boselli. And, with Titus Bramble having departed, Alcaraz looks poised to receive early opportunities to play. The prospect of one to three goals is a nice teaser, but the big questions that remain are how quickly he can adapt to the pace and rigors of the Premier League and whether Martinez’s wheeling and dealing can make it worth investing even the nominal sum of £4.5 in a Wigan defender.
Further Reading