Who is Maxi Perrone, the jewel of Vélez who is in the crosshairs of Pep Guardiola and Manchester City

When he debuted, he was compared to Fernando Redondo. He, with 19 years and an education fueled by the pure football of Lionel Messi’s Barcelona, He identifies with Sergio Busquets and in Argentine football his idol was Fernando Gago.

The truth is Massimo Perrone forged his own football identity, the one that could place him in the Manchester City after playing the South American Sub 20 with Javier Mascherano’s Selection, from January 19 to February 12 in Colombia.

Trained in Velezwhere he came as a six-year-old to play as a hook and in the lower ranks he tried his hand as a winger in midfield and forward before settling in the center of midfield, the midfielder began his adventure in the First Division ten months ago.

On February 5, 2022, in the absence of Santiago Cáseres, Mauricio Pellegrino was in charge as owner against River at the Monumental, where Vélez drew 0-0 and won the Juan Gilberto Funes Cup.

Despite his young age, the youthful star showed personality and good play, earning himself a place and, on May 18, in a breathtaking match with Nacional de Montevideo to advance to the Copa Libertadores, he put the captain’s ribbon before the departure of Lucas Pratto and, with the yellow bracelet on his left arm, he scored the first goal of his careerthat of heartbreaking triumph.

“I can cover all the positions in between, I think I’m a 5e I identify a lot with the pass. I like it and I enjoy it very much”he told Footsteps (TyC Sports) this year as his name started playing louder. In that interview he also confessed that he identified with Busquets and that his idol was Gago.

After less than a year in Primera, his surname is now also read in the international media. He played first in Portugal, as a possible replacement for Enzo Fernández if he leaves Benfica, and now from England, where they ensure that City will execute the release clause of eight million dollars.

It is not, however, a novelty for Perrone. In 2019, when he was just 16, Real Madrid laid eyes on him after shining in the Mundialito de Montaigu.

The Spanish club also tried to seduce him when his contract with Vélez expired in June. But then the young midfielder chose Liniers and renewed the link until 2023. It was when the Fortin included the exit clause that he could now run the citizens.

“I try to be complete and choose when to move the ball and when to play in one or two halves. I still have many things to improve.”he said some time ago left handedpromoted to the First Division after being one of the revelations of the Reserve Tournament of a team led by Julio Vaccari, who that evening in Montevideo -in a lucky interlude in Vélez- gave him the captain’s ribbon.

when the Cacique Medina took over the team, Perrone remained a starter until 22 August. That day he scored the equalizer against Sarmiento de Junín but suffered a pneumothorax (air in the lungs) product of a stroke. That injury meant Vélez missed out on the series with Flamengo, who won the semi-finals of the Copa Libertadores 6-1 on aggregate.

He returned to training only in October and on the 16th of that month he came on against Estudiantes, winning 4-0 at the José Amalfitani. And, after playing a few minutes against Argentinos Juniors, he returned to the eleven in the last match of the year, on 25 October, in the 3-1 draw between Vélez and Central Córdoba at Villa Luro.

Two months after that match, from 26 to 28 December, Perrone met the 28th Mascherano selected for the South American challenge in Colombia at the Ezeiza stadium.

There, next Saturday 21st, Argentina will debut against Paraguay in group A with the hope of being in the final on 12th February and qualifying for the Under 20 World Cup in Indonesia (20th May-11th June). Perhaps then whoever turns 20 on January 7 will already be a player for a great player in Europe.