On Tuesday, Manchester City announced the loan of Marlos Moreno to Flamengo. The 21-year-old, who’s already in Brazil, should stay at the Rio de Janeiro side until December 2018.
This will be the third loan since Manchester City signed the player from Atletico Nacional in 2016. The Colombian first spent a season at Deportivo La Coruña, and moved to Girona last summer, until agreeing this mid-season deal now.
But why couldn’t Moreno impress in Europe, or at least have a chance at City yet? The player left South America after winning the Copa Libertadores for Atletico Nacional, making him one of the continent’s biggest talents at the time, and people now wonder why things haven’t worked out for him at the top level.
With Flamengo getting huge attention from the Brazilian press, Brazilian outlet Lance went after opinions about his situation, and interviewed a few different journalists to hear what they think of Moreno’s past few years.
“Marlos Moreno drew a lot of attention in Colombia,” Julián Capera, from Colombian Radio Caracol, told Lance. “From a very young age, he always stood out for his speed, physical ability and the way he managed to dribble his markers. Some even said that he was the ‘new Faustino Asprilla’, or even would surpass him.
“But his recent seasons, which coincided with his going to Europe, were disappointing. It seems like a good time for him to return to South American football, and find his way back in football.”
The move to Europe is the main problem pointed out by the journalists. Roberto Urrea, from website ‘Gente, Pasión Y Futebol’ agrees with Capera.
“Moreno has always been a very fast player, with ability to make goals and smart plays. But since his move to Europe via Manchester City, he has had no chance to show his football.
“With more time to show his football, he will certainly bring a lot of joy to Flamengo. He’s a player who goes well through the wings, showing a lot of technique, speed and making good dribbles.”
Lance also interviewed journalists from Spain. Jordi Roura works for Diario de Girona, and followed Moreno closely in the past six months: “Marlos Moreno played for 28 minutes in the Spanish League, always coming from the bench. The competition with Stuani was strong, to the point where the Colombian only started in matches of the Copa del Rey.”
Pedro Barreiros, from Voz de Galícia, watched Moreno for a year during his season at Deportivo. And he believes the player can still find some good form: “The spell of Marlos Moreno here at La Coruña was very discreet. Although he showed that he was a fast player, with security when touching the ball, it was clear that he did not adapt here in the club. With the course of the games, he ended up losing room.
“He can stand as a good football player and be a great choice to play in the centre or the wings whenever he finds a gap. Now he needs a bit of maturity, and above all, to rely on a manager who trusts him.”
