Colin: After two consecutive MLS Superdrafts where I guessed the Quakes pick in advance, I’ve decided to press my luck and take a wild guess on a future signing that, I should emphasize, is not based on any insider knowledge or reporting. It’s entirely speculation.
I’ll be completely honest. I only discovered Matko Miljevic’s existence while playing Football Manager 20 and noticed that the teenage Argentine attacking midfielder held US citizenship. I brought him to the Quakes for reasonable-enough money, and he went full supernova in MLS, quickly outgrowing the league and earning a big-money transfer to the EPL, where the simulation suggested he continued to thrive.
I know it’s ridiculous to get tips from FM, but the storied franchise has a scouting network bigger than any MLS club, so it’s hardly a joke. In this case, I couldn’t help but think that a famous Argentine coach, and a focus on South American scouting, combined with Miljevic’s blue passport, might actually lead to this transfer being viable in real life. So I contacted Anay Patel and Jamon Moore, who know more about tactics and analysis than I do, to weigh in on whether they agreed that he’d be a good addition.
With that preamble out of the way, what do we know about him as a player?
Jamon: What, you didn’t check his FIFA…never mind. Well, he’s 18 and was born in Miami but moved to Argentina when he was nine. He is interestingly still eligible to play for four national teams according to Wikipedia (Argentina, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, or the US), although he’s only made appearances for Argentina and the US. He’s currently in the U-20 camp with former Colorado Rapids coach Anthony Hudson, but Argentinos previously denied him when Tab Ramos requested him last September. He’s made five appearances for Argentinos in the 2019-2020 season so far with some interesting numbers. Now the sample size is extremely small with 258 minutes, but if you want to get hyped…
How replicable this would be over a full season is a bit in doubt, but right now the data makes him seem like a bit of Vako with the dribbling (2.2 per 90 minutes), coupled with some Magnus for taking fouls (1.8 per 90 minutes).
Anay: Miljevic has played primarily as a left winger for Argentinos Juniors. Take everything I am about to say with a grain of salt, because the film that we have on him from Wyscout is pretty limited. He has played a total of about 600 minutes for the first team. In the film we do have, he seems to have good control and is comfortable on the ball. He likes to run at defenders and he can beat defenders in 1 on 1 situations, which is important for a prospect at this position. He has a high work rate when pressing and does well to track back when the opponent is in transition, which is another good quality that shows work ethic and some tactical awareness. He seems to have some trouble keeping the ball in between the lines when there are defenders there to close him down.
Most importantly for a player his age, Miljevic does the simple things very well. He makes the smart or easy pass, and he positions himself well when he doesn’t have the ball. The fact that he has seen the pitch as an 18 year old in the Primera División is a clear indication that he has quality and potential. At times, the difference in age and quality between him and his opponents is apparent, but that is acceptable. It is difficult for a player this young to match the physicality and intensity of pressure that a league like the Primera División has to offer.
So, Colin, you may have identified a good prospect. But there are plenty of those around the world. Why would this particular transfer make sense for the player and for San Jose?
Colin: You guys know I’m all about those dollars and cents (both real and Garberbucks). One of the things that really appeals to me about this acquisition is that it would fit in the lowest category of “Young DP” that is a huge advantage even under the current CBA (just a $150k budget hit), but may well be an even bigger advantage under the new one, if you believe current reporting.
Secondly, I bet the finances would look pretty good even aside from the arcane MLS roster rules: Argentinos Juniors are not one of the power clubs in Argentina and would be less able to resist a big money bid than, say, Boca. Plus, at just 18 years old, and with limited senior appearances, Miljevic himself wouldn’t be in a position to demand massive wages. Again, if the video game is to be believed, he could be had for a couple million up front, with wages in the $250k/year zone, although I would imagine the real life wage might be twice that. From my time covering the league, one thing Argentine (and broader Latin American) players seemed to value about MLS was the fact the paycheck was 100% guaranteed and not subject to the financial winds of their particular club or their country’s economy. I bet that a big pay rise, plus that stability, would be enticing for Miljevic. Not to mention the Almeyda Effect.
Finally, I just think an elite number 10 is the best place to spend money in MLS, and specifically for the Quakes, who have a very solid but not spectacular (and aging!) number 10 in Magnus Eriksson. You could say the same about Andy Rios if that’s where they plan on playing him. Both count against the foreign player cap, too. Even if that isn’t his long term position, as Anay alluded to, Miljevic’s best years in black and blue would be after many of the current starters have left, and could therefore replace, say, Vako, or maybe even one of the strikers.
But regardless of how much it makes sense in a vacuum, he’ll need to be a fit for Almeyda’s system. Did anything you guys discover suggest whether he’d be a good fit or not?
Anay: From the video we have available, it seems like he could be a good fit. He has a good work rate so he can handle the pressing and “running” Almeyda asks out of his attacking players. He likes to run at defenders and force them into uncomfortable situations. He has good tactical awareness and does the simple things well. Like I mentioned earlier, I didn’t see him receiving the ball well in between the lines consistently, which is something that the Quakes need from their 10. I would be more inclined to say that he would be a better fit as a winger, but it is hard to say because of the limited video we have on him.
Jamon: If Miljevic can show MLS-quality as both a 10 and 11, he has much more value to a coach like Matias Almeyda who has an affinity for position-flexible midfielders. We don’t know a lot about his work rate, and that’s the most important area for a fit in Almeyda’s system. Having a younger player running around and pressing keepers and defenders as compared what we see today with Wondo, Eriksson and Vako, could bring a real spark to the system. The defensive data is on Miljevic is sparce, as expected for an attacker with under 300 minutes, so it’s much more of an eye test question and what scouts such as Bruno Costa can learn about his work rate from his former coaches. Plus a bit of luck with the discovery rights.
Colin: I wanted to close on a somewhat broader question – if you were in charge of the Quakes roster decisions, is this the sort of player profile you’d be targeting, in terms of tactical and financial fit? Or would you have something else in mind?
Anay: A quality attacking player from a respectable South American club seems like the type of player the Quakes would be looking for right now. This is also the type of player that can also have resale value after a couple years in MLS. In the case of Miljevic, him not taking up an international slot gives the club room to use that slot on another quality foreign player.
Do I think Miljevic will be the guy the Quakes pick up? Not necessarily, but I think you are on the right track here.
Jamon: Anytime you have a chance at a player with a US passport who can make an impact as a Young DP and can be confirmed by scouts as a fit for your system, you have to strongly consider them. As you’ve indicated, the price is probably in the Quakes range in this case, given Transfermarkt has him under $2 million right now. We’ve seen the numbers for quality South American players recently inflate as players reach their early 20s, so by all means, get a player under 20 if you think he’s worth the risk.
Colin: Many thanks for indulging my absurd premise, guys. I can’t promise it won’t happen again.
