Lucas Romero was an Argentinian hidden gem in Football Manager 14/15 who made it onto FM players shortlists everywhere. Romero was wanted for his talent as a midfielder and his amazing starting attributes in FM and real life. He was one to watch and FM enthusiasts thought he could be the perfect player, effortlessly slotting into a first team position.

Where did he begin?

Lucas started out in a humble neighbourhood in Greater Buenos Aires, playing in youth football with Vélez Sársfield at the age of 7. This sounds like the start of many wonderkid stories, starting out somewhere small in Argentina with talent that belonged somewhere far bigger. When Lucas debuted for Vélez Sársfield at the age of 18, it was hoped his future would be big and bright. During this game Lucas came on as a substitute in the 0-0 draw with Estudiantes de La Plata.

Progression

Romero’s skill and talent helped Vélez to win the 2012 Inicial Championship during his first season. He replaced injured Francisco Cerro as a starter 4 times and played 13 games in total. He had much interest from Premier League clubs and was nicknamed ‘Baby Mascherano’ in Argentina. Lucas qualified for an Italian passport meaning he was eligible to play under EU regulations, opening more opportunities.However, despite the interest and bids from clubs in Spain, Germany, Brazil and Italy Romero had his heart set on the English Premier League.

Anastasios Maragozidis, Romero’s agent, told the press “Romero wants to play for the English Premier League as he feels his style is best suited to the English game.”

News came out in Italy that there were talks of Napoli bringing Romero to Serie A at the end of the 2012 season, with a price of €4 million already being discussed. Andrea Di Lela, the FIFA agent allegedly tasked with overseeing the possible transfer told reporters “There has already been telephone contact and after that was a meeting with Napoli sporting director, Cristiano Guintoli.”

The rocky road

Lucas had a difficult start at Cruzeiro but then started to garner attention for his versatility at being able to proficiently play many different positions. This attention and skill gained Romero a place in the first 11. Lucas remained at Cruzeiro until 2019, making 84 appearances for them and scoring 2 goals, before transferring to Club Atlético Independiente.

Romero currently remains at Independiente as a defensive midfielder, with his contract expiring June 30th 2023. He continues to be a valued part of the team and has made 21 appearances to date for his current club. Romero was never able to break into the English Premier League much to his dismay, but he currently seems content with where he is. From humble beginnings to humble endings, it’s likely that this will remain the scene for Romero, a once sought after talent by FM players and real football clubs alike.