Earlier this month, Premier League side Sunderland announced that they had signed Inter’s Ricky Alvarez on a loan deal with an option to buy, should the Black Cats avoid relegation. And while the player himself offered the usual post-signing mutterings about being “happy to be at a great club,” “featuring in England,” and “looking forward to playing his part,” one could not blame both fans of his current and parent club from feeling a bit ambivalent about this latest development.
Signed back in the summer of 2011 for around €12 million from Argentinian outfit Velez Sarsfield, Alvarez was brought in with the hopes that he could revitalize the Nerazzurri’s midfield, who had lost their creative spark due to the dramatic decline in form of Wesley Sneijder. In fact, so dramatic was the Dutchman’s fall from grace that the 2010 Champions League winner, who had been linked with a move to Manchester United, eventually ended up at Galatasaray instead. During the short time Alvarez coexisted in the same team as Sneijder, the Argentine found himself being played out of position, first by Gian Piero Gasperini and then Claudio Ranieri in an attempt to accommodate both playmakers.
However, Alvarez’s aforementioned versatility comes as a sort of double-edged sword as he is prone to bouts of inconsistency that had some branding him as a flop one moment and hailing his talents the next.
Inter’s choice to part with one of their more creative midfielders is quite reminiscent of their situation with Liverpool’s Brazilian wunderkind Philippe Coutinho, who has sparkled ever since his departure from the San Siro in 2013.
Coutinho, who was purchased by Inter in 2008 as a 16-year-old for €4 million, didn’t make his official debut until two years later. Yet, quite like Alvarez, the youngster struggled under the revolving door of coaches. While Coutinho was given opportunities under Rafael Benitez and then Leonardo, Ranieri did not show the same faith in him and a loan spell to Espanyol followed, which proved to be a catalyst in setting up his eventual switch to England.
Numerous theories were bandied about regarding his sale despite his good showings in Spain. One simply was about the money, with Inter linked to Corinthians’ Paulinho — now of Tottenham fame, or infamy, depending on whom one asks. Of course, the move for his compatriot failed to come to fruition and Inter instead ended up with Zdravko Kuzmanovic.
The Alvarez situation grew worse and worse when the likes of Fredy Guarin was preferred in his position. While the Colombian has his positive attributes, namely his physicality in the middle of the park and his pressing ability, he is in no uncertain terms a creative player.
Indeed Inter fans will shudder at the memories of Guarin being deployed in those kind of positions in which his negative attributes, in particular his inability to keep possession of the ball while attempting to dribble and his poor shot conversion rate, became glaringly apparent for all to see.
Some of Inter’s creative woes were indeed apparent in Sunday’s 1-1 draw against Palermo for instance. Maybe the Inter sporting director — regardless of how he might have rated Alvarez — spared a thought to the departed playmaker.
Inter has unfortunately had a long tradition of parting ways with young or otherwise growing talents only to see them flourish elsewhere, leaving followers to wonder “What if?” Names like Clarence Seedorf, Roberto Carlos, Dennis Bergkamp, and perhaps the most infuriating of all, Andrea Pirlo, immediately come to mind. And hence, should Alvarez find his footing in England, Inter will surely be scratching their heads as to why they let yet another potential gem slip through their fingers.
Follow Michelle Bonsu on Twitter: @MichelleB289
