Defensive Midfielder to sign?

[One Wilf Copping]

There have been various rumours the last view days that the Colombian Sebastián Pérez of Atlético Nacional is starting a trial with us on Monday and likely to sign.

Pérez is definitely a gifted player and has a good chance of forcing his way into the Colombia squad for next summer's World Cup. He'd be an excellent buy, although the likes of Éver Banega or Luis Gustavo would be safer bets and more established names.

One issue is whether Pérez would even be granted a work permit. He should qualify as an outstanding talent (he is), but the work permit process seems very unpredictable.

A signing or two like Pérez and Ginter combined with one or two major names like Suárez and we'd actually be in a very strong position going into the new season. Maybe things aren't as gloomy as they seem right now?

:shrug:

[Pokster]

[Mack]

[One Wilf Copping]

https://twitter.com/sperez_24

Can't get a more direct source than that...

[Mo Britain less Europe]

him being given a permit.

[East Upper for Supper]

[East Upper for Supper]

He won get a work permit and will be loaned to Betis for the season before disappearing all together.

[Hillary]

[One Wilf Copping]

an outstanding talent on an exception basis.

He'd still have a chance as he was a member of a title-winning team at just 18 and is the star of their Under-20 squad.

Colombia's national team is also currently ranked #3 in the world behind Spain and Germany on FIFA's world rankings which would also be taken into consideration.

http://www.fifa.com/worldranking/rankingtable/index.html?int cmp=fifacom_hp_module_ranking (http://www.fifa.com/worldranking/rankingtable/index.html?intcmp=fifacom_hp_module_ranking)

A top Brazilian or in this case Colombian talent is ranked higher by the Home Office than one from, for example, Tahiti. That was how we got Denilson a work permit as captain of the Brazil U18 team.

Pérez really is a great prospect.

[Mo Britain less Europe]

[One Wilf Copping]

He has great vision, lovely range of passing and a very unhurried style - not a million miles away from Glenn Hoddle in fact. I like the way his teammates start making runs when he gets the ball knowing that he'll somehow loft a pass to them.

I'm not sure how he'd translate that style to the Premier League, but at 4m or 5m we can afford to take a punt on him.