Roberto Alvarado (Getty Images)
Manchester United signed veteran goalkeeper Lee Grant, Brazilian midfielder Fred and young Portuguese right-back Diogo Dalot in the summer. But a poor start to the campaign has raised question marks over the lack of signings made by United’s board.
It is quite evident that the club need an out-and-out right-winger, who can beat defenders and put in a decent cross or two into the box for the likes of Marcus Rashford and Romelu Lukaku. And according to Mexican outlet Esto, Roberto Alvarado has been linked with a move to the Red Devils.
Alvarado is a gifted 20-year-old winger who came up through the youth ranks of Mexican outfit Celaya. After impressing with the youth teams, Alvarado incredibly made his league debut for Celaya in 2013, at the tender age of 15.
Unsurprisingly, his talent quickly caught the attention of clubs across Europe. The Mexican starlet was handed trials by Sunderland and Manchester United in 2014 but neither side offered Alvarado a contract straight away (h/t ESPN). He returned to Mexico and continued with Celaya for another two years.
Due to his impressive pace and trickery, he was snapped up by Pachuca in January 2017. After just six months at Estadio Hidalgo, he joined fellow Liga MX side Necaxa. And after another impressive year, he was signed by Mexican giants Cruz Azul this summer. Alvarado has already scored twice and assisted three times in his nine starts for the club in the ongoing season.
Alvarado has already made his debut for the Mexico national team and he has everything on his side to become a regular member of El Tri in the coming years.
There is no question about Alvarado’s talent but it is one thing to tear it up in the Liga MX and another to become an impact player in the Premier League. But he must take inspiration from Mexico’s greatest goal-scorer, Javier Hernandez.
Hernandez, aged 22, left Mexico in 2010 to join United and instantly became a fan favourite at Old Trafford. There is absolutely no reason as to why Alvarado can’t have a similar impact at the Theatre of Dreams.
