Lucas Mugni     21     Midfielder     Colón     Argentina

2013 has been...

There is a certain delight in a watching a young player who looks to be all limbs and little else producing a first touch that the greats of the game would be proud of. At first glance, Lucas Mugni is far gangly to be utilised in the stereotypical number 10 role. However, in full flight he’s quite the sight to behold. That is assuming you are lucky enough to have enjoyed the rare moments of magic this year.

Mugni has had it tough in 2013. It doesn’t help that the players leading the line ahead of him at Colon have struggled to finish their dinner. Were they able, his defence splitting passes would have been put to good use and he may have kicked on as a player. Instead, Mugni has managed to play the full 90 minutes just twice so far in the Argentine Primera Division this year and instead found himself the man sacrificed as Colon battle to hold on to any points that might come their way.

We reckon Club Atlético Colon should be trying to use Lucas Mugni as the spark to ignite the tail end of this campaign. He possesses a delightful left foot, reads the game incredibly well and has just enough nouse to run a game. He’s a local kid, has progressed through the ranks and wears the number 10 shirt. He should be the hope they are clinging to to carry them out of the doldrums.

Instead, he’s being seen as a luxury they can live without in the clinch and its hurting the potential for his game to improve.

What next?

As 2013 began, Mugni was being heralded as a star of the Argentine domestic scene and another South American starlet set for a move to the Italian Serie A. Milan and Juventus are no longer the likely destinations that they were as 2012 drew to a close such has been his struggles. However, considering Colon’s players haven’t been paid in something close to seven months; Lucas may be happy to accept any sort of new surroundings.

Mugni’s low return of goals were always going to be a black mark on his record, especially as his volume of assists has nosedived off a cliff. That isn’t all Mugni’s fault but this is neither the time nor the place for a discussion on an “assist” stemming from a partnership rather than being a single skill.

At 21, he remains a player for the future and a club with a long-term version could do worse than bring Mugni in to be their creative fulcrum. He holds both Spanish and Argentine passports, making a work permit easier to come by, and will be sold for much less than €8 million price tag attached to him last year.

He’s an intelligent player in desperate need of new surroundings and team-mates with more confidence in front of goal. We’re loath to suggest a hometown boy should abandon his local club but things aren’t going to improve any time soon for him at Colon.

“Has had a difficult year, really not helped by the fact he's playing in such a bloody awful team. He shows flashes, but only flashes, and a move to a side more capable of utilising his creative talents might be needed soon if he's going to continue developing, because he's stagnated somewhat of late.” – Sam Kelly, Hasta El Gol Siempre

D     You need a change of scenery to get things back on track. Anywhere will do, and even better if they pay you on time