Manchester City are reportedly interested in signing Boca Juniors wonderkid Exequiel Zeballos, and his potential arrival could see Txiki Begiristain repeat the masterclass which saw him bring Julian Alvarez to the Etihad Stadium.
According to reports from Spain, City and Real Madrid are battling it out to sign the 20-year-old talent, who has established himself as a regular with the Argentine giants.
Despite his tender age, Zeballos has already made 46 appearances for Boca Juniors, in which he has contributed an impressive five goals and three assists, so it is easy to see why he is attracting interest from Europe.
The winger already made history with Boca when he became the youngest-ever player to sign a professional deal at La Bombonera, and considering that the likes of Carlos Tevez and Ever Banega came through the ranks there, that is no mean feat.
The Argentina U20 international is clearly making a name for himself and he may look towards Alvarez as his inspiration. The 22-year-old was playing with River Plate just six months ago but went on play a huge part in Argentina’s success at the World Cup by the end of 2022, hitting four goals for Lionel Scaloni’s side as they won the trophy in Qatar.
Although the 22-year-old’s arrival at the Etihad has been overshadowed by the form of Erling Haaland, he still has nine goals in all competitions for Pep Guardiola‘s side so far this season and looks set to be a big player for the Premier League champions for the significant future.
Nicknamed ‘the Spider’, Alvarez made a name for himself with his performances at River Plate, contributing 54 goals and 31 assists in just 122 appearances. His seamless transition to Premier League football suggests that Zeballos could have a similar impact in Guardiola’s side in the future, should he make the move to Manchester this year.
Like the City forward, Zeballos is capable of playing anywhere in the front three, having featured on either wing and up front during his fledgling career with Boca.
Given the success of Alvarez’s signing and Zeballos’ obvious potential, Txiki could produce another masterclass if he can clinch a deal for the Boca Juniors starlet in this month’s transfer window.
