Kudos to @Rookery Refugee for suggesting him earlier this month: https://wfcforums.com/index.php?threads/transfer-talk-suggestions.54511/page-181#post-3072945 Called up to the US team, but would he be ready for the PL already? https://www.telegraph.co.uk/footbal...ewcastle-leading-race-sign-spurs-centre-back/ " Ranieri make Bello enquiry Watford have made an enquiry over USA international George Bello as they step up their attempts to land a left-back during the January transfer window. Claudio Ranieri has made the full-back position one of his priorities when the market opens and there is also interest in Sead Kolasinac from Arsenal in a loan deal for the rest of the season. Bello, 19, is also on the club’s radar following his progress at Atlanta United in Major League Soccer over the last two seasons when he has played regularly and was called into America’s national team earlier this year. Ranieri has played Adam Masina, Danny Rose and right-footed Jeremy Ngakia at left-back in Watford’s last three matches and would welcome competition in that area for the second half of the season as he looks to avoid relegation from the Premier League. Atlanta are reported to have exercised an option on Bello, which means he would command a fee should he move to Europe. "We've had quite a few inquiries about George Bello," Atlanta technical director Carlos Bocanegra told mlssoccer.com after the MLS season. "Obviously he's a 19-year-old left-sided player that's very dynamic, very athletic, caps with the national team, 30-40 professional games under his belt. So you can imagine the type of interest that he's garnered. So, again, it'll be a tough decision for us in the offseason like quite a few of these other guys that we have." Ranieri was appointed in October and January is his first window to freshen his team, with the Italian targeting a left-back and centre-back after conceding 31 goals in their first 16 games of the season. Bello is a player who is expected to eventually move to Europe and played 2,524 minutes during the regular 2021 season, scoring once and providing three assists for Atlanta."
His stats are more a reflection of the formation. Atlanta United plays a lot of 3 at the back. They also have arguably one of the better (certainly faster) central defenders in MLS (Miles Robinson) so Bello's role is definitely to get forward, provide width and link up with the goal scorers. IMO his on ball defending has improved dramatically, but it's actually his confidence in the final third/final ball that needs work. I would be nervous about him trying to handle the starting role every match - he is still green and the likes of Liverpool/Salah could turn him inside out (of course they do that to a lot of players). That said, for the bottom 2/3 of the league I think he'd do just fine - especially under a top class manager like Ranieri. All that aside, Arthur Blank (owner of Atlanta United, the Atlanta Falcons and one of the founders of Home Depot) has more money in his charitable foundation than the whole Pozzo family has. Their chief executive is Darren Eales (ex-Spuds)... so don't expect a bargain from some skint, ignorant American club. I would go for a loan with a hefty option-to-buy if we stay up and he plays.
Seems to me that Miles Robinson is the one we should be going for instead. As you say, Bello looks a little green. I did read though that Atlanta have already signed another decent LB (Gutman?) so would be prepared to part ways for a decent offer.
I'm way out of my depth here but what people smarter than me would have to sort out on Robinson is how he would do with the ball at his feet. He's fast, strong enough and respectable in the air. Hits a decent long pass, but TBH CBs aren't often under a lot of pressure in MLS, so the questions would be around that. I also think CB is a lot tougher mentally in general, and certainly in the PL as compared to MLS simply because of the pace. If anyone knows how to ring up Jay DeMerit, his opinion on Robinson would be outstanding.
Not sure that’s the biggest issue with us seeing as we don’t really use our CBs too much in buildup. My disclaimer is that I haven’t watched any of either Bello or Robinson but a brief survey of Twitter and various other online resources show them raving about the latter and somewhat ambivalent about the prospect of losing the former which says something I think.
Mostly it says MLS fans don't know nearly as much as they think they do... not unlike most other fans. That said, the general consensus is that Robinson is closer to an end product. Robinson is a grown man. Bello likely has the higher upside and he's still a teenager.
