Colombia is a goldmine.
Juan Gafas continues his search for the next talents to come out of this magnificent country, and this week he is delivering you a player already entitled as the next Davinson Sanchez and Yerri Mina.
Yerson Mosquera
Age: 19
Club: Atletico Nacional (Colombia)
Position: Centre Back
Nationality: Colombian
Market Value: 200.000 € (Transfermarkt)
Why follow him? Yerson is a regular member in the local giant Atletico Nacional starting lineup, trained with the national team, making him the current big hope for Colombia’s backline.
Tall, athletic, fast and robust, Mosquera is as good as they come physically. He does look a bit clumsy when shifting his weight quickly, but it is pretty standard for players his size. It does affect his game in possession too. He excels in his defensive duties, using his physical attributes to good effect when covering space or in defensive duels, both in the air and on the ground, winning most with ease.
Mosquera understands the game well, reads the play and break shape to intercept passes between the lines; he is hardworking and shows excellent and strong character for his age. He was sent off twice in his short career, but I watched the events, and I do not think there is anything in it.
Yerson pic.twitter.com/qKmifV9f9t
— vid.futbol (@futbol_vid) February 18, 2021
His technical skills are ok, but his first touch can fail him and cause problems. He is comfortable enough in possession, creates angles, opens up his body to receive the ball, composes and handles pressure well enough without taking too many risks (therefore not many “rewards” either). However, his first-touch can fail him, and he sometimes appears out of balance when driving the ball forward (which he did not often do in the games I’ve watched) or when passing with his body not perfectly adjusted. He can deliver good long balls forward, in behind too, and he is usually accurate without taking many risks.
Impressive physical attributes, excellent defending, composer in the possession and sliding smoothly into his club’s first-team lineup, he is a player to follow. However, I think he has much to improve before proving right the comparisons with the likes of Davinson Sánchez and Yerry Mina.
