As the coronavirus pandemic forced the world to pause, Alejo Veliz seriously considered pressing stop on his dreams of becoming a professional footballer.
The 16-year-old had just begun pre-season with Central Rosario's youth team when COVID-19 hit. "I couldn't go back and I started to think about studying something because it took too long," Veliz remembered. "Thank God I stayed."
Veliz made his debut for the senior side 18 months after the pandemic's outbreak and has been a fixture of the first team since 2022.
This summer, the teenager has attracted increasing interest from the Premier League's Tottenham Hotspur. Aside from an iron will, here's why Spurs are leading the race for a player who almost gave up the game entirely three years ago.
What Alejo Veliz can bring to Tottenham
Veliz made his debut for Central in July 2021. Within 12 months, he had entered club folklore. Half-time was rapidly approaching in the fiercely contested Rosarian derby against Newell's Old Boys when Jhonatan Candia swung a free kick into the box. Veliz, who stands at 6'1, out-jumped his marker to loop Central into a lead.
The only goal of the game sparked an ear-splitting roar in the Gigante de Arroyito. Veliz has many years of football ahead of him but will have to go some way to top a decisive contribution against your first club's biggest rivals.
The winner against Newell's was only the third goal of Veliz's senior career but it would prove to be a prescient participation. Six of Veliz's 19 goals for Central exploded off his forehead and all three of his strikes during this year's under-20 World Cup were headers.
Harry Kane broke the Premier League record for headed goals in a single season last term, notching ten. Tottenham's talisman took advantage of the team's myriad of set-piece ploys sketched up by the specialist coach Gianni Vio. The Italian may have parted ways with the club this summer but new manager Ange Postecoglou developed a range of routines during his time at Celtic.
While Veliz would offer another aerial target other than Kane it would be an almighty task for the youngster to replace the England captain entirely if a move to Bayern Munich does materialise. Veliz may be one of the Argentine top flight's most exciting young strikers but he is best described as promising rather than prolific and still has plenty of rough edges to smooth - notably, his ability (or willingness) to create for others.
If the teenager does move to Tottenham, it will surely be in an understudy role to the first choice option - whether that be Kane or the misfiring Richarlison.
What Veliz does bring in abundance is grit. During Carlos Tevez's brief five months as Central coach, Veliz said that he "took every piece of advice he gave me". That tenacity embodied by the former Manchester United and Manchester City striker is evident in Veliz on and off the pitch.
In April of this year, the day after scoring in a 2-2 draw against Boca Juniors, Veliz was driving to training when he was T-boned by a truck which fled the scene. He started Central's next match the following week. Just four days after playing in Argentina's last-16 exit from this summer's under-20 World Cup, Veliz not only appeared for Central but scored in a 4-1 win over Instituto.
Alejo Veliz career stats
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The details of Alejo Veliz to Tottenham
An impressive tally of 11 goals in 23 top-flight games for Central this year - the highest tally of any teenager in the division - has attracted interest from across Europe.
The bulk of bids swamping Rosario Central's transfer department stemmed from Serie A. AC Milan, Roma, Salernitana and Torino all expressed interest in the 19-year-old, who set tongues wagging at a greater velocity with his forceful displays in this year's under-20 World Cup.
Tottenham's Premier League rivals Nottingham Forest also flirted with Veliz but 90min understands that the striker is prioritising a move to north London after Spurs agreed to meet his £13m release clause.
However, when Veliz will line up for the Lilywhites remains to be seen.
Spurs are expected to hand Veliz a long-term deal but may be prepared to loan the striker back to Central in the immediate future. The Rosario club are certainly trying to keep hold of their talented forward - who would join the likes of Angel Di Maria and his potential Tottenham teammate Giovani Lo Celso in big-money moves away from Central. Talk of a loan until January, if not longer, has been floated.
Just three short years ago, Veliz didn't look like making a professional appearance for any club, let alone one in the world's biggest league.
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This article was originally published on 90min as Why would Tottenham want to sign Alejo Veliz?.