Southampton boss Mauricio Pochettino pulled off a real transfer coup late last week by acquiring Pablo Osvaldo from AS Roma for a club record fee of £15m. The Italian international arrives at St Mary’s on a four-year contract and is the third big-money buy this summer, following the acquisition of Dejan Lovren and Victor Wanyama for a combined £20 million.
The move reunites the Argentine-born forward with Pochettino after he previously played under the Saints boss for Spanish outfit Espanyol. Officially introduced to the press yesterday, Osvaldo admitted the club’s long-term interest, allied with the chance to work with Pochettino again, was something he simply couldn’t turn down:
“It’s the club that showed the most interest in me. Second of all I know Mauricio and I know how he works. I’m very happy to be working with him. …He’s magnificent. It’s fantastic, great to work with him. He is a great motivator and for me it’s very important to work with people who appreciate and respect how I work. For many years people haven’t appreciated that. I know him well and how he sets out his teams. The season I had at Espanyol was my best as a footballer. In a personal sense, I think I did well playing under him. I want to repeat that and improve it. I’m confident that will happen and I can’t wait to start. And also because I wanted to play in the Premier League, I’ve been dreaming about it and I want to do something important in the league. “
The History
It’s fair to say the 27-year-old is a somewhat nomadic character. Starting his career in the country of his birth with Huracan, Osvaldo scored 11 times in 33 matches back in 2005 before making his way to Italy with Atalanta. After notching once in three appearances, he was on his travels to Lecce, producing eight goals in 31 matches, but yet again lasted a single season in his new surrounds; this time Osvaldo was snapped up by Fiorentina, where he produced just five goals and a single assist over 21 Serie A appearances.
Loaned to Bologna midway through the 2008/09 campaign, he went on to play 25 times, producing just three goals and an assist, before a switch to La Liga – initially on loan – saw him finally find his feet. With 20 goals and four assists over 44 league matches in Spain, Osvaldo’s eye for goal persuaded Roma to bring him back to Italy ahead of the 2011/12 season. While his first year was impressive – 11 goals and five assists in 26 league matches – the six foot striker really hit his stride last term, registering an impressive 16 goals and a pair of assists over 29 games.
On the international stage, Osvaldo has turned out for Italy on 10 occasions and found the net four times, with three strikes in four World Cup qualifiers last year.
The Prospects
After an eventful time at his previous club, Osvaldo will be hoping to settle at St Mary’s. Over his two years in the Italian capital, the six foot forward had a somewhat rocky relationship with the club’s bosses, fans and players and, most notoriously, punched a team-mate who failed to pass him the ball. A hot-headed, tempestuous talent, his history with Pochettino will be key to ensuring Osvaldo keeps his cool and allows Southampton to get the best out of his undoubted abilities.
Given the club’s outlay, it’s fair to assume the forward will be a key protagonist in Pochettino’s side – with a World Cup just around the corner, he looks guaranteed starts as he stakes a claim for inclusion in the Azzurri squad. In terms of his impact on the Saints’ shape, there are a number of theories doing the round – a 4-2-3-1 could see Osvaldo, Adam Lallana and Gaston Ramirez line up behind Rickie Lambert, for instance. Alternatively, a 4-3-1-2 with Osvaldo partnering Rickie Lambert up top has been bandied about, a 4-3-3 with Osvaldo on the flank and a 4-4-1-1, with the new boy leading the line just ahead of Lambert are all being mooted as potential formations.
While Lambert still looks integral to Pochettino’s style of play, Jay Rodriguez’s game time could be a real issue, though he may still get the nod over Ramirez, whose somewhat lethargic displays have failed to convince Pochettino. The Uruguayan’s lack of overall work rate doesn’t quite fit in with his manager’s high pressing game, while Rodriguez’s energetic displays, on the other hand, have caught the eye since the departure of Nigel Adkins.
Having kicked off their season with a win at West Brom, Southampton seem primed for investment due to a hugely appealing run of upcoming fixtures. Sunderland, West Ham, Palace and Swansea are all set to roll up to St Mary’s in the next six Gameweeks and, with a trip to Norwich also on their agenda, there’s plenty reason for optimism as we assess Pochettino’s kindly-priced Fantasy assets.
Priced at 8.0 in Fantasy Premier League (FPL), Osvaldo – for all his talent – may still struggle to oust Lambert in our Fantasy affections. If, as expected, the latter keeps his spot as the most advanced forward, his spot-kick and share of set-piece duties continue to bolster his strong value appeal. Kinder on the budget at 7.5 in FPL, Lambert is already off the mark after a late penalty at West Brom on Saturday and Romelu Lukaku owners are turning to the Saints man as a similarly-priced alternative. If, in the unlikely event that Lambert drifts out the picture, Osvaldo looks a definite option but it’s difficult to see past the England man as he looks to replicate the form that saw him finish last term as the third top scoring forward in the FPL game.
