On Tuesday, the 12th of July, all eyes turned to Argentina as news broke out that Corinthians were interested in 22-year-old Fausto Vera. The Argentine, who had been previously linked with Flamengo, is the latest star out of Argentinos Juniors’ academy, the same academy that produced Diego Maradona and Juan Román Riquelme. Since making his debut against Tigre in November 2018, Vera has made 51 appearances for the first team. In addition, the 22-year-old has also made 20 appearances for Argentina’s youth teams. With quality and youth, the young defensive midfielder would not only rejuvenate but also improve Vitor Pereira’s midfield.
Fausto Vera has regularly featured for Gabriel Milito’s side, making 23 appearances this year. His heatmap below illustrates his movement and positioning on the pitch. Milito has consistently alternated between a 3-5-2 and a 3-4-1-2 (2-1), with Vera being used everywhere in the midfield. As a defensive midfielder, he has performed as a single pivot as well as part of a double pivot. Additionally, Vera has performed quite frequently as a central midfielder with a partner ahead of a single pivot.
Vitor Pereira most commonly opts for a single pivot but has also used a double pivot at times. At any rate, the Portuguese manager requires his midfielders to be dynamic and perform multiple roles within the same match. Undoubtedly, Vera’s versatility would facilitate his adaptation process.
At 179cm, Vera provides an important physical presence in the midfield, especially ahead of the backline. However, the 22-year-old’s defensive work is not characterised by physicality. While he can and does use his size and strength to his advantage, he is also very intelligent with his actions. With only 6.38 defensive duels per 90, he is not excessively active without the ball. On the contrary, he is rather effective and selective in his defensive behaviour, with 8.86 successful defensive actions per 90 and 7.59 possession-adjusted interceptions. Additionally, he wins a fairly impressive 63.75% of his defensive duels. With a few examples, we are able to illustrate his defensive style.
Fausto Vera’s ability to read the game is a significant factor behind his effective defensive work. The Argentine can read the opposition and anticipate passes quite frequently, as seen with his 7.59 possession-adjusted interceptions. Below is an example.
In addition to his defensive work off the ball, Vera is also a very technical defender. While he can be physical, he is able to time his challenges extremely well. Furthermore, due to his impressive ability to read the game, he is also able to close players down with perfect timing, rarely arriving late to a challenge. As a consequence, when he chooses to engage, he is able to perform his defensive duels with intensity and effectiveness.
The 22-year-old also knows how to use his physicality to his advantage. In the air, he is relatively active and successful with 3.36 aerial duels per 90 (56.32%). On the ground, he is able to go into challenges with intensity and strength. While he can be overly physical, he has certainly improved this as he’s gotten older. In 2022, he is averaging 1.25 fouls per 90, much lower than his 1.85 in 2021.
In possession, Vera’s involvement is mostly through his passing. While dribbling is not a primary resource, he does occasionally use it with 2.07 dribbles per 90 (57.69%). At exactly one progressive run per 90, he is not frequently dashing forward with the ball like Du Queiroz, for example. Contrastingly, he is constantly moving off the ball to receive it in optimal locations. At 47.61 passes per 90, he is involved quite significantly in possession. While his 85.95% completion rate may be underwhelming at first, it is important to understand his passing profile.
The pass map below is a balanced example illustrating his passing style. He gets quite involved in the build-up, but even more in the middle third. Entering the final third, he tends to look for the wide channels, a trait that perfectly suits Vitor Pereira’s tactics.
Of his 47.61 passes per 90, 15.63 are forward (72.28%), 5.96 are backwards (94.16%), and 18.6 are lateral passes (93.14%). Upon this closer look, it is understandable why his completion rate isn’t the highest. He is frequently looking to be vertical and go forward, which naturally tends to be at a lower success rate. Vera’s 6.3 progressive passes per 90 are another example of his willingness to break lines. Finally, he is quite involved in progressing the ball from the middle to the final third, completing 6.5 passes to the final third per 90.
The pass map below further explains his completion rate. All 12 unsuccessful passes in this match were forward attempts, with a few of them being relatively long.
In addition to offering volume and verticality, Fausto Vera also offers quality. Similar to Cantillo, Vera frequently looks for long passes over the defensive organisation. Additionally, as seen on his pass map, he looks for the long switches to either wing. This trait would not only be welcomed but also very important as Corinthians frequently look to exploit the wings.
As seen in his passing breakdown, a significant part of his passes are in the middle third. Vera is very effective in retaining possession and dictating the tempo. His positioning and involvement in possession would be very important as Corinthians struggle in construction. The lack of mobility and support from the midfielders is one of the biggest factors in their offensive struggle. His quick short passes and frequent movement would provide a different dynamic.
If confirmed, Fausto Vera would be an incredible addition to Vitor Pereira’s side. The 22-year-old would rejuvenate and improve their midfield. By offering a different dynamic and tremendous quality, Vera would quickly break into the starting eleven. His versatility and youth are other important aspects that make this transfer so appealing.