Key Takeaways:

• Juan Sebastián Verón, an exceptional midfielder, made his mark in Italian football before a record-breaking move to Manchester United.

• Despite a promising start, Verón struggled to adapt to the pace of the Premier League, facing criticism and injuries.

• His transfer to Chelsea offered a chance at redemption, but recurring injury setbacks hindered his career in England.

Juan Sebastián Verón was one of the best midfielders in Italian football during the late 90’s. After playing for Argentina at the 1998 World Cup, he was signed by Parma for £15 million.Veron became a vital part of the team, as his contributions were immense in the club’s historic Coppa Italia and the UEFA Cup win that year. He then ended up signing for Lazio in an £18.1 million deal, which saw him reunite with his former manager Sven-Göran Eriksson. Veron yet again went on to prove his brilliance as a player, being the driving force behind the club’s Scudetto, Coppa Italia and Italian Super Cup victories. 

This article will be looking at the events that followed after this phase of Veron’s career, as he was set to face a new challenge in England.

Style of play

Veron was the complete package as a midfielder, with his brilliant versatility making him a dream player for any coach. He had the ability to operate as an attacking midfielder, central midfielder, or even as a deep-lying playmaker. The player was equally magnificent when it came to contributing both in attack and defence. Veron's excellent technical ability, pace, vision, passing range and strong physique were some of his key traits. In addition to all of these, he was also known for his powerful, bending free kicks with his right foot.

A record breaking move to Manchester United

After his heroics in Italy, Sir Alex Ferguson and Manchester United decided to pay a then world-record £28.1 million to Lazio for Veron, which was the most expensive British transfer fee at the time. The move came with high expectations, and fans believed the player to excel for the Red Devils.

Veron's United career got of to a great start, as he scored in 3 of his first four matches for the club. His performances also got him the Premier League Player of the Month for September. However, the player's performances saw a sharp decline as the season progressed. The pace of the Premier League proved to be too much for Veron, who was used to the style of play in Italy.

The player needed to prove his doubters wrong in his next season at the club, and Veron's performances considerably improved during his second season at Manchester United. His performances were especially brilliant in the Champions League, where the slow tempo of matches suited him more. This momentum of great form came to a crashing halt though, as an injury meant Veron missed much of the season's end. Despite winning the Premier League with United, Veron ended up being a massive flop due to the massive price-tag and high expectations he carried.

A chance at redemption

Veron was sold by Manchester United to Chelsea 2 years later for £15 million. It was a chance for the player to revive his career, and prove his doubters wrong that he could not adapt to the Premier League. A brilliant start was made to his Chelsea career, as the player scored the opening goal in a 2–1 victory over Liverpool at Anfield. However, injuries problems yet again became the villain for Veron. He ended up making only 15 appearances for Chelsea that season. The player's career at Chelsea was over by this time, as the season's that followed saw him loaned to various clubs.

Juan Sebastián Verón was undoubtedly a magnificent player, and his brilliant success at Italy makes this evident. The struggle to adapt to English football and constant injury issues were the main villains of his time in England. Despite all of this, he will always be viewed as one of the finest midfielders the game has seen.