In recent transfer windows, there has been a noticeable trend of South American players returning to their home continent after stints in European football.
The number of young players who are returning are increasing. Those who are finding limited opportunities in Europe's top leagues, are coming back to South America, either on loan or permanently, in search of rehabilitation and a fresh start.
One of those young players is Carlos “Charly” Alcaraz who’s making the move back not to play in his homeland, but for Brazilian club Flamengo.
Born in La Plata, Argentina on November 30, 2002, Alcaraz started his youth football journey at local club Deportes Infantiles de Villa Elisa before joining Racing Club academy in 2017.
Charly established himself in the reserves team during the 2019 Argentine football season, and it was Sebastián Beccacece who ultimately took advantage of the talent that La Academia had been polishing in the first team set up.
The current Ecuador National Team manager took the feisty youngster under his wing and started giving him game time between both the senior side and the reserves, where Alcaraz would make his professional debut in a 1-1 Argentine Primera División tie against Atlético Tucumán on 26 January 2020.
His rise coincided with Racing’s struggles that inevitably meant he was fast tracked and promoted to the first team. Even with Fernando Gago succeeding Beccacece at the helm in 2021, Alcaraz maintained his regularity in the first team squad, which led to consistent performances and to the then 19-year-old becoming integral to an upturn in form for Racing.
The highlight of the rise in La Academia's form and of Charly's time at his boyhood club was the 2022 Trofeo de Campeones win against Boca Juniors in which the youngster scored the winning goal in extra-time and celebrated rather passionately - and who could blame him.
Carlos Alcaraz: The European leap
It wasn’t long before European clubs were interested in the young midfielder. Southampton pursued him, showing great interest, before an agreement to sign him was met in the 2023 winter transfer window. Sold for $14 million, his transfer became the biggest sale in Racing's history after Lautaro Martínez's transfer to Inter Milan in the summer of 2018.
Alcaraz arrived at a struggling Saints side that was fighting against relegation in the Premier League. As a result, the Argentine was thrown straight in. Featuring in 21 matches until the end of the 2022/23 season, Alcaraz scored four times and assisted twice, although his team wasn’t able to escape relegation.
In the summer of 2023, Alcaraz took part in the Saints’ pre-season and featured regularly for the club in the first half of their Championship campaign, although mostly from the bench. He featured in 26 matches, scoring four goals and providing three assists before moving to Juventus on loan for the rest of the 2023/24 season.
The Argentine had limited game time on loan, playing an average of just 30 minutes in his 12 appearances for the Turin club, where he only produced one assist.
However, it was at Juve that Charly won his first trophy in Europe as Juventus beat Atalanta in the Coppa Italia final.
Back in England, Alcaraz was involved in his second pre-season with the Saints and even featured for the club in their first game back in the Premier League against Newcastle.
However, as Southampton moved in the transfer market hoping not to return to the Championship at the end of the season, the 21-year-old’s minutes were reduced, and a permanent move became a possibility.
A fresh start in Brazil
With limited prospects for playing time at Southampton in the new European season, an old acquaintance of Alcaraz has re-emerged to bring him back to his home continent.
In 2020, he came off the bench early in a match between Flamengo and his then-team, Racing, in the round of 16 of the Copa Libertadores. Alcaraz scored one of the penalties that secured La Academia's qualification to the next round of the tournament.
His performance at the Maracanã caught the Brazilian club's attention, and they attempted to sign him in 2021. However, almost three years later, Flamengo finally managed to add him to their squad: a young player with a unique experience compared to many of his peers.
At 21 years old, Alcaraz has played for one of the top clubs in his home country and has already had his first experience in Europe. Perhaps expectations were not met, but it’s difficult to label his time as a failure.
And now, the young player has the opportunity to join one of Brazil's top clubs, which is at a crucial point in the season and in desperate need of quality depth in their squad as they still compete in Brasileirão, Copa do Brasil, and Libertadores.
With his versatility and technique, the Argentine arrives to make an immediate impact on the team managed by Tite. He adds valuable depth to midfield and attacking midfield options, whether coming off the bench or starting.
As the season progressed, Tite made adjustments to the team's on-field organization and could be forced to make some more, as Flamengo suffered a major blow with top-scorer Pedro suffering a season-ending injury.
The team has transitioned to a 4-2-3-1 formation, with a focus on dominating the central areas of the pitch. With his ball carrying abilities as well as his body strength and intelligence to protect the ball and evade defenders, Alcaraz will act as a key outlet.
However, with Pedro out, there is a strong chance we will see Flamengo return to the 4-4-2 formation that Tite deployed at the beginning of the season. In this setup, Alcaraz's versatility would be central, as he could pose a threat down the flanks with his runs.
Additionally, he would be a key player for the team in establishing rotations and movements to advance up the field through quick exchanges with his teammates.
Either way, his characteristics make him an important player to help Fla control possession and rhythm during matches, which are key for the team's playing style to work properly.
Charly is also a reliable passer, capable of providing line breaking passes and through balls. This points to the fact that the 21-year-old can also impact the ball distribution, actively supporting play build-up as well as the delivery of the final product.
On the other hand, his intensity off the ball will also prove vital for the Rio de Janeiro club. A core aspect of Tite's style is the rapid recovery of possession.
Alcaraz's movement and his willingness to engage in duels and block passes and shots will directly contribute to Fla's defensive game. His initiative to counter press in the attacking half just adds to the direct contributions expected of him in defensive terms.
All in all, Carlos presents himself as a superb rotation option for Nicolás de la Cruz in a typical box-to-box midfielder role, impacting pretty much everywhere on the pitch both on and off the ball.
His characteristics also make him somewhat similar to another key Flamengo player: Gerson, who's known for being a "coringa" (in free translation joker). This is because Gerson can play in different positions and in different tactical roles when needed.
A concern for Flamengo fans will be Alcaraz and his temperament. A red card on his debut for grabbing someone’s throat was far from ideal. If he doesn’t stamp that out of his game, he’ll limit any progress on the pitch.
Charly Alcaraz’s future
Charly Alcaraz is a young player who stands out from many others his age due to his vast experience in his yet early footballing career. He arrives at Flamengo with solid credentials and as a reliable, versatile option for the club’s midfield sector.
At the club, he will find a competitive environment and experienced figures that will no doubt play a key part in his development on and off the pitch.
South America is no longer viewed as a “dumping ground” when players are no longer deemed good enough for European football. Instead, this presents an opportunity for Alcaraz to return to form, and potentially put himself back in the shop window.
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