On Thursday, the Philadelphia Union announced the signing of Venezuela midfielder Jesus Bueno from Venezuela’s side, Deportivo Lara. This signing had been rumored for over a week before it was made official so I spent that time trying to find out as much as possible about the Union’s new midfield starlet.
A deep dive into midfielder Jesus Bueno
Jesus Bueno has been a standout performer for Deportivo Lara in the Venezuela league for some time now. The 22-year-old has been taking the league by storm with his performances in the past two seasons. I really liked what I read and saw from him during my time taking a deep dive into him.
He’s mainly dubbed as a defensive midfielder. Bueno was the captain of Deportivo Lara at just the age of 21 and 22, which is highly impressive to start off with. It clearly shows how talented the kid is and how well respected his leadership skills are on and off the pitch.
Bueno’s potential fit with Philly
Whilst his main position will be considered as a defensive midfielder, I really like his potential at both being a box-to-box midfielder. He even could play out in an advanced attacking midfielder role. He has shown flashes of a great ability to drive with the ball going forward. Bueno also has the tendency to be in the right place at the right time when the ball is cleared out of the opponent’s box. A lot of the goals that I watched saw Bueno on the edge of the box. He benefits from being the first to a loose ball, his finishes were top quality too.
Defensively, Bueno is a strong tackler but a very smart one too. He doesn’t usually go to the ground for tackles. He will just stay on his feet and bully the opponent off the ball. Bueno seems to have a lot of upper body strength even though he doesn’t look like the most physically imposing player on the pitch. Just from watching him, you can tell he has great energy on the field. He constantly chases down balls and seems to have great stamina that keeps him going at 110% even in the final minutes of the game.
However, his best ability by far is his passing ability. Specifically long-range passes. All of the games and clips I’ve watched of him are littered with accurate, long-range passing. These allowed Deportivo Lara to turn defense into attack quickly. Bueno is the type of midfielder that sets the pace of the game and is the key link to defense and offense.
Another hungry & versitle player
Bueno will be a perfect fit for the Union’s system. He’s aggressive off the ball which is something Curtin demands from his players. He can get forward when needed and can be the creative spark with his runs forward. The most important thing that the Union will benefit from the most with Bueno in the team is his long-range passing. The Union loves to counterattack quickly and score within mere minutes of having the ball. With a guy like Bueno hitting long passes over the top to Burke and Santos, that’s exactly what you’re going to get. Sporting Director Ernst Tanner sees this potential too.
“Jesus is a young versatile player we have followed because of his strong potential. As the captain of his former club, he brings natural leadership abilities and the mentality we value, and his ability to play multiple positions will allow us to find a good fit for him in our system. We look forward to welcoming him to the team and watching him develop.”
-Ersnt Tanner
The 22 years old, fits the system perfectly. Midfielder Jesus Bueno checks all the boxes that Curtin and the Union look for in players, and is set to have a bright future ahead of him. Union fans should be really excited about Bueno being in Philly. I have a feeling he’ll become a club legend during his time.
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Mandatory Credit: Philadelphia Union via Deportivo Lara
