Sheffield United could sign former Premier League midfielder Steven Alzate this summer, as the Colombian international has just 12 months left on his current contract with Hull City.
However, according to The Mirror, La Liga club Valencia, coached by former West Bromwich Albion coach Carlos Corberan, are also interested in signing Alzate.
Last summer, the Blades reportedly expressed interest in Alzate before he signed with Hull.
Of course, the 26-year-old played for the Tigers last season under Sheffield United’s new manager Ruben Selles, so working with a coach he knows, as well as the prospect of playing in the Premier League, could be a major selling factor for the well-rounded midfielder.
What Can Sheffield United Expect from Steven Alzate if Signed From Hull City?
Alzate had 28 Championship appearances last season and contributed only one goal (one assist), and while that may not appear tempting, he does an excellent job in midfield in a variety of positions.
Alzate excels as a controlled passer and dribbler under pressure. At Hull, he maintained a high passing accuracy of 84% and was in the 98th percentile for successful take-on success rate per 90. This provides him the ideal skill set to be a ‘dual-threat deep-lying playmaker’. Essentially, this means that they can beat a press by both dribbling and passing the ball, which is becoming increasingly vital in modern Championship game as opposed to an Oliver Norwood-type deep-lying playmaker.
His predicted assists rate of 0.04 per 90 places him in the bottom fifth of Championship midfielders, implying that he isn’t a creative outlet in the final third, which may not be what fans want to hear following Vinicius Souza and Sydie Peck’s lack of creativity and goals last season.
However, Alzate thrives in defensive actions. Last season, he ranked in the 95th percentile for tackles per 90 and in the 98th percentile for dribbler tackle success rate. Finally, while Alzate had low shot-creating actions for a Championship midfielder (1.95 = 32nd percentile), he placed in the 91st percentile for shot-creating actions through defensive activity. Given that Selles’ system is based on applying a high press and forcing mistakes immediately from his team’s turnover, this is a strong indication that he is a good fit for the Spaniard’s style.
Versatility is Key
It’s always beneficial to have varied individuals on your 25-man roster. Sometimes a player can be adaptable and play many positions, such as Hamza Choudhury last season, who served as an anchor man in midfield as well as a more defensive alternative at right back.
Alzate is a dynamic midfielder who can play at several levels in the center of the game.
The Colombian-capped midfielder may play as the sole anchor man in a midfield three, allowing more attacking midfielders to play either side of him and express themselves more freely.
He might form a double pivot with Vinicius Souza. On paper, this does not appear to be a progressive combination, but I believe it would work given their respective composure and technical abilities. Furthermore, Alzate would give excellent cover for Vinicius Souza, and collaborating with Oliver Arblaster, Tom Davies, or Sydie Peck would be even better.
The worst-case scenario this summer is that Souza is sold in late July or August, which I feel would drastically damage the Blades’ spine far more than selling Peck, for example. However, if you bring in a profile like Alzate for a low fee, you’ll have a ready-made alternative in terms of physique and style if the Brazilian leaves later in the window.
Alzate to Blades: Cheap & Cheerful
While it is not a glamorous or headline-grabbing signing, if the Blades sign Steven Alzate, it would be wise business because they would be improving their midfield depth with someone who possesses technical ability, versatility, and, most importantly, has proven to be available, which cannot be said for Tom Davies and Jamie Shackleton.
With rumours that Peck may be sold this summer to raise funds while keeping other key players like Souza and Gustavo Hamer at the club, a midfield depth of Vinicius Souza, Oliver Arblaster, Tom Davies, Steven Alzate, and Jamie Shackleton would provide a good blend of variance, with the first four all possessing the technical skills to feature in a Premier League matchday squad.
However, given Davies and Shackleton’s dismal injury records, the Blades will most certainly need to add at least one more body to this department just in case. Exploring a permanent deal for Leicester City’s Hamza Choudhury might be another wise business move by the Blades this summer. The Bangladeshi midfielder is a good ball-winning midfielder at Championship level, and many thought he was outstanding at right-back when Femi Seriki, the more attacking right-back, got injured.
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