Alderete - from 12 million euro 'bargain' to Premier League phenomenon

Omar Alderete is the leader of the Sunderland defense.

Sunderland returned to the Premier League as a humble newcomer, but after just a few rounds, they made the whole of England look at them with different eyes. A young team, fresh playing style and confidence rarely seen in a newly promoted team. In that picture, a shocking name stood out: Omar Alderete.

Phenomenon from La Liga to the foggy land

Few expected a central defender once considered “normal” in La Liga to explode so fiercely. It only cost 12 million euros to bring Alderete from Getafe in the final days of the transfer window, Sunderland owned a real leader of the defense. The Paraguayan player quickly proved his worth: not only was he solid in defense, he also directly contributed to the victory.

In his debut match, a 3-0 win over West Ham in the first round of the Premier League, Alderete made a pass of more than 30 meters and created an assist. Not stopping there, in the match against Nottingham Forest in the sixth round of the Premier League on September 27, he headed in the decisive goal, bringing home three points and lifting Sunderland to 5th place. An impressive performance: scoring, winning the title of best player of the match and being included in the typical squad of the round - becoming the second Paraguayan player in Premier League history to do so, after Julio Enciso.

More than just a flash of brilliance, Alderete is showing rare consistency. According to statistics from BeSoccer , he averages 8.9 recoveries per game, wins 60% of duels and has an aerial efficiency of 48.15%. Thanks to this consistency, Sunderland has become the third team to concede the fewest goals in the league (4), only behind Arsenal and Crystal Palace, even better than the "big guys" like Liverpool (7), Man City (6) or Chelsea (8).

Omar Alderete just scored in Sunderland's win over Nottingham Forest in round 6 of the Premier League.

Alderete’s strength lies not only in his defensive ability. He brings confidence to his teammates and cohesion to the whole system. In the hands of coach Regis Le Bris, the Paraguayan midfielder is like an “anchor” for the whole team to cling to.

From underrated to new idol

Ironically, when he left La Liga, Alderete was seen as an underrated player, with little media attention, partly because his Paraguayan passport was never a “brand”. But in England, things changed. In less than two months, Alderete became an idol at Sunderland, to the point that fans wrote a song in his honour.

At 28, Alderete is entering the prime of his career. His excellent performances in the Premier League have not only helped him raise his profile, but also opened up great hope for Paraguay, as the 2026 World Cup is approaching. South American fans believe that Alderete can become a mainstay, just as Antolín Alcaraz shone to lead Paraguay to the quarter-finals of the 2010 World Cup.

From a quiet contract, Omar Alderete wrote a fairy tale in the land of fog. He is proof that football is not only measured by market value, but also by desire and fighting spirit. For Sunderland, Alderete is not simply a central defender - he is the fire, the belief, the reason for the whole team to dare to dream of a Champions League spot in the first season back in the Premier League.

Alderete is no longer an “unknown”, he is a phenomenon. And the Premier League is having to seriously look at the new Sunderland player through the shining example of this Paraguayan midfielder.

Source: https://znews.vn/alderete-tu-mon-hoi-12-trieu-euro-den-hien-tuong-premier-league-post1589963.html