“I worry about Diego Carlos” – South American expert sends warning to Newcastle United

Tim Vickery – the BBC’s South American football correspondent – has issued a warning to Newcastle United fans should Diego Carlos complete a big money move to St James’ Park this month.

He insists the 28-year-old can look a ‘classy’ operator at his best, being capable on the ball, quick and aggressive, however he believes Carlos also makes ‘lot of mistakes’ and is prone to some ‘wild’ moments.

Vickery feels that the Brazilian “may look better than he is” in Spain, suggesting he is sometimes carried by Joules Kounde; his centre-back partner at Sevilla.

Here’s what Vickery had to say when speaking on talkSPORT about the defender:

“It was a couple of years ago that a Brazilian journalist, based in Spain, brought my attention to Diego Carlos and said ‘I think this is the best Brazilian centre-back in Spain, have a look at him’.

“My conclusion, and he won the Olympic gold medal as well, is that we may be dealing with a centre-back who may look better than he is. 

“Russell Osman syndrome, maybe? Remember him and Terry Butcher together? Everyone thought Russell Osman was the class act and then you threw him in the deep end and you found out that Osman looked better, but Butcher was much better.

“I worry about Diego Carlos. There are moments when he looks classy, but there are lots of mistakes and wild man things.”

This all comes after The Mail reported earlier today that we were hoping to see a £30m offer accepted by the La Liga side, with The Telegraph’s Luke Edwards suggesting that his move to Tyneside was ‘edging closer’ as of Tuesday morning.

As for these views on the player himself, it must count for something that he’s a Brazilian international who has been part of a Sevilla defence that have conceded just 13 goals in 20 games this season, leaving them second in the Spanish top flight.

Who knows, it could take him some time to adapt to English football, however I am pretty sure he’ll be an upgrade on the slow, feeble and underconfident options we currently have a centre-back!