Scouting report: Find out all about Manchester City target Diego Novaretti
30 Apr 2013 03:10
Mexican football journalists and Liga MX experts Eric Gómez and Tom Marshall give us the lowdown on the Argentine centre-back
Toluca defender Diego Novaretti is strongly linked with a move to Man City
Reuters
Diego Novaretti, who Sky Sport Italia claim to be close to signing for Manchester City, has emerged as one of the Mexican league's top central defenders.
That's high praise indeed given he's playing in a country that has excelled in producing local talent for that very position.
The league that has produced Rafael Marquez, Hector Moreno and newly-appointed Porto signing Diego Reyes can certainly take credit for the development of the Argentine centre back.
The 27-year-old Argentine is an unquestioned leader in the back as well as an aerial threat on set pieces having notched 10 goals since arriving in the Liga MX from Argentina's Belgrano in 2009.
Novaretti's main strength is his consistency, something Manchester City have been sadly lacking in this season.
In over 150 domestic and international matches with Toluca, the defender has only been substituted on twelve times.
Physically speaking, he is definitely a player who is built for the rigors of the Premier League, and to deal with tough, speedy strikers whom he would normally not encounter in the more technical Mexican league.
Fairly quick for a man his 6'4" frame, Novaretti is a rough and tumble defender who is not afraid to use his body to break up attacks.
That, however, is also his main weakness.
Novaretti has picked up eight red cards for Toluca and is often at risk of suspension due to a penchant for accumulating yellow cards and it is fair to say there is nothing subtle about his tackling.
Even so, while he takes no prisoners, it would be a stretch to describe him as reckless.
Despite an early exit from the 2013 Copa Libertadores, the Argentine was a force in the back for Toluca and displayed the type of play that warrants attention from European clubs.
Though in these post-Chicharito days it is still a shock to see a player move directly from the Liga MX to one of the world's top clubs, City fans could be pleasantly surprised with Novaretti if given a chance to crack into their back line rotation.
The emergence of fellow Argentine Jose Maria Basanta for Monterrey and his selection to the national team has definitely raised some eyebrows, but serves as a reminder to South America and Europe that the talent level in the Mexican league is steadily growing.
If reports in Italy are true, the Premier League will soon find that out.
By Eric Gómez
Is Red Devil Novaretti good enough for Manchester City?
by Tom Marshall
The name Diego Novaretti doesn’t roll off the tongue of Argentine football fans, never mind European ones. The 27-year-old centre back has never appeared for his national team and has played for the last four years in Mexican first division club Toluca, which just happens to have the nickname “The Red Devils.”
So how and why is the Argentine being linked with a club that has the goal of dominating Europe like Manchester City does?
It seems to be a little bit of a mystery.
Novaretti – a tall, physical centre back who is also good with his feet – is a very solid defender, but it would be difficult to say that he is a cut above other centre backs in Mexico’s top division.
What does stand Novaretti in good stead is that he certainly has the physically attributes at 6”4 to compete in the Premier League. He also has the fortunate knack of not getting injured much and has played over 30 matches in each of his last five seasons.
For his size, the media-friendly defender isn’t the slowest, although no-one would say he’s exactly a speed merchant.
Technically, Novaretti is good in possession – as are most defenders in Mexico - but the fundamental concern must be that the Argentine has never played regularly at the very top level and that the jump to Manchester City will be too much.
Not one call-up for Argentina has ever come for Novaretti and in March it was another Mexico-based Argentine center back, Jose Maria Basanta, who plays for Monterrey, who was called into La Albiceleste squad by Alejandro Sabella for his first caps, ahead of Novaretti.
Getty
At Toluca, one of Mexico’s better teams, he is one of the leaders in the dressing room and has become one of the stalwarts of the team, picking up one league title with the Red Devils (Diablos Rojos in Spanish) since signing in 2009.
In February, he shone against Boca Juniors as Toluca won 2-1 in the famous Bombonera stadium and although he gave away a penalty, Novaretti was a rock at the back, using his nous to repel Boca attacks. He was also a key figure in Toluca finishing top of the league last season, but the team fell in the final of the playoffs.
In his time in Mexico, Novaretti has played under managers that have alternated between fielding three and four at the back and the Argentine has the awareness and footballing intelligence to be capable in both systems, which could appeal to the experimental City boss Roberto Mancini.
Another asset Novaretti, who wears the No. 2 shirt for Toluca, does possess is the ability to contribute goals, although they haven’t been immediately forthcoming in recent seasons: he has only netted once in his last 69 league games.
On the personality front, Novaretti has had quite a controversial career.
“I say what I feel and what I think, even if it brings problems,” he explained before the return Copa Libertadores game in Mexico against Boca. He went on to complain about the Mexican federation’s lack of support in moving domestic fixture for teams trying to make it far in South America’s continental competition.
In March, Novaretti called a journalist a “coward” for publishing a story that he and Toluca ‘keeper Alfredo Talavera didn’t get on, pointing out that it wasn’t true and that the two players’ families dined together.
‘Nova’ has quite a poor disciplinary record in Mexico, having picked up six red cards in his four seasons in the North America country.
But the biggest controversy for the Cordoba-born Novaretti occurred whilst he was still in Argentina playing for his first club Belgrano in the South American country’s second division.
There, he claims that club directors reneged on an agreement that would see him leave if offers from bigger clubs and abroad came in. Novaretti says Belgrano then told potential suitors that he was not for sale under any circumstances and automatically renewed his contract.
Clearly annoyed, the player used a highly controversial 'triangulation' technique - denounced by Argentine authorities for avoiding taxes - to obtain his registration out the country and to sign for Toluca.
The situation deteriorated last year, when Belgrano's general assembly held a members vote and declared Novaretti a 'persona non grata' at the club, banning him permanently from returning in any capacity.
“Novaretti will be judged by society,” said Belgrano club president Armando Belgrano, who also indicated that legal proceedings within Argentina will continue against the player.
Reports in the Mexican press suggest that Novaretti’s contract with Toluca runs out this summer, making a move to Europe a viable option that will likely leave the Mexican club empty-handed in terms of receiving transfer money.
As for the work visa issue, one report in Mexico implies that he has EU citizenship, while scouting websites suggest that he has an Italian passport – as do many Argentines.
In that regard, Novaretti moving to Europe does make sense, it’s just that few on the other side of the Atlantic would’ve thought it could be to a club as huge as City are today.
Then again, people said the same when a certain Javier Hernandez suddenly popped up on the front of Mexican newspapers wearing a Manchester United shirt.
