The new Ronaldo (Video)

With the incredible displays he put in for Udinese this past season, I’m surprised how little interest Colombian forward Luis Muriel seems to have generated in the press. He exhibited bursts of pace and strength on the ball allied with an eye for goal. He also holds the ball well and links up play effectively as a lone striker. And at only 22 years of age he can only get better.

Still the only bout of speculation about Muriel, which doesn’t seem to have gathered momentum, came in the form of rumours towards the end of May that Liverpool were sizing him up as a possible replacement for their own Luis. Suarez is claimed to be disenchanted with life at Merseyside, portraying himself the victim of the apparently carnivorous English press. There has been gossip that Real Madrid might add the Uruguayan to their squad with Higuain Gonzalo keen to exit the Bernabeu.

Luis Muriel not only looks a bit like the legendary Brazilian Ronaldo who made a name for himself on practically every stage in world football, he also plays like him. Close control, a box of tricks and accuracy in the box are among his key attributes. After returning from two loan spells in Granada and Lecce, he showed that he has adapted to European football by banging in 11 goals for Udinese who signed him as a teenager. Should no clubs swoop on this gifted youngster, he probably won’t mind another season learning from the ageless Antonio Di Natale.