It's now or never for Edinson Cavani and the Premier League
Edinson Cavani has established himself as one of the great strikers of his generation with his consistent goalscoring return for club and country. But at the age of 33, he must now decide on the final move of his career if he is to stay at the highest level.
While Serie A and Ligue 1 have enjoyed the best of the Uruguayan through his performances for Napoli and Paris Saint-Germain respectively. He has earned cult-hero status at both clubs. Although, his style of play, size, strength and athleticism mean he still has more to offer before he calls time on what has been a distinguished career.
Chelsea link
Surprisingly, with qualities suited to the English game, he has never played in the Premier League, despite regular interest in his signature from some of the biggest clubs. José Mourinho was reportedly interested in taking Cavani to Chelsea at the start of his second spell at the club in the summer of 2013. But, it was the Parisian giants who eventually claimed his services.
A key addition to a long-term project in the French capital, Cavani has so far failed to help the club claim the Champions League prize that they crave so much. And, that situation is unlikely to change soon. He has achieved all he can with the club domestically over the course of the last seven seasons. Recent reports have indicated that there may be unrest in the camp, so it might be time to move on.
Cavani's name will attract lucrative offers from the Middle East, the Far East and the United States. But, he is not ready to play beneath the level that he knows he remains capable of. The attraction of the project in Paris was to deliver the European success that Napoli could not offer. However, he cuts an increasingly frustrated figure as big names follow the same path without success.
Cavani adjusted to the demands of Serie A with Palermo following his move to Italy from his native Uruguay in 2007. Over the years, he has proven himself to be a model professional in the modern era. He is a legendary figure for his national team. Moreover, there is a connection between the South American footballer and Napoli forged by the arrival of Diego Maradona a generation before.
There is a similar culture and attitude that makes Naples an attractive fit for South American players. And, their fight and desire to make it in Europe is appreciated more at the Stadio San Paolo than at any other iconic venue. Cavani took on the challenge and became a hero amongst the Neapolitans with his approach to the game.
National hero
Cavani has always been a consistent goalscorer throughout his career. It is only the achievements of strike-partner Luis Suárez that has prevented him from claiming even more individual accolades with his country. However, Cavani is appreciated more by the students and purists of the game, who recognise and respect how his work ethic brings more to the team than his basic stats.
These values have enabled Cavani to enjoy a long and successful career at the highest level, and he is ready to show the Premier League what they have been missing. A perfect figure for the role of the traditional target man, the towering striker would relish the physical battles and relentless pace of the English game.
His goalscoring ability is not in question with over 300 goals in less than 600 club games. He also has a return of 50 goals from over 100 international games with Uruguay. A veteran of six major tournaments, he is a figure who will be appreciated more by the masses in his retirement, when his statistical return will overshadow his robust style of play.
Of course, the English Premier League is a demanding league for someone of his age, despite his physical fitness. His game time would need to be well-managed, and his role in the team would need to be complemented with pace to make the most of his talent. He would be a Plan B option for many of the leading teams should they take the chance on him, but an effective one all the same.
Club commitment
Reports of unrest in the Paris Saint-Germain camp will ask questions over his temperament. Additionally, starting a new project at the level of the English Premier League at this stage of his career would take a lot of soul-searching. His time with Napoli and Paris Saint-Germain showed that he is a figure who invests in his club for the long-term. But time is no longer on his side.
His idol as a child was the great Argentinian striker, Gabriel Batistuta, and Batigol was another who made his name in Serie A without making the move to England. After seven seasons, it is clear that Cavani's time in Paris has come to a natural end. The enforced coronavirus break will offer him the time necessary to carefully calculate his next move.
The pursuit of Champions League glory
A Copa America winner with Uruguay in 2011 and part of a Paris Saint-Germain team that has dominated domestic matters in France, Cavani's career still remains unfulfilled. He will take pride in how he has represented his clubs and how he has remained committed to them in an era when such loyalty is seldom rewarded. But this is his time to look after his own interests.
Cavani would be an exciting addition to the English Premier League, and he has all the attributes to be a success there. In fact, there are few players at his level, of his age, better suited to the unique demands that presented by this particular challenge. It could even be the move that finally brings Champions League glory to compliment his domestic and international success.