Gran Canaria has long been a home for those who struggle to fit in elsewhere. Jonathan Calleri is now one of the latest well-travelled, nomadic players to try and make a name for themselves off the coast of Spain at Las Palmas, ready and willing to fill the considerable void left by Kevin-Prince Boateng at the tail end of the transfer window. So far, he’s doing it very well.
When Boateng’s departure came out of the blue, just a few days shy of the end of the summer window, there was widespread disbelief. The Ghanaian had become a vital fixture within Quique Setien’s side, and after losing the heartbeat of their midfield in Roque Mesa’s move to Swansea City and their idealist of a coach to Real Betis, his choice to leave the club for personal reasons looked to have pushed Las Palmas to a tipping point.
Manolo Marquez was facing his inaugural season as first-team boss, after a successful season in the third tier with Las Palmas’ second team, and an opening day defeat to Valencia appeared to highlight a boss that, for now, was a little out of his depth. Fortunately, there were a couple of bright sparks on that night at Mestalla. One of them was new goalkeeper Leandro Chichizola, with Jonathan Calleri also impressing while leading the line.
The Argentine’s loan to Gran Canaria is the latest in a long line of temporary moves. Owned by Deportivo Maldonado, the 23-year-old has been bounced around the likes of Sao Paulo and West Ham United without much in the way of success. In the Premier League, Calleri managed just one goal, leaving with the reputation of a player that didn’t quite cut it - but his contributions were not without merit entirely. There were some signs of life, of a player, deep down, somewhere.
🎩 VIERA (mago)
🔥 CALLERI (killer)
🎮 REMY (control)
💛 ¡La @UDLP_Oficial ya gana en #LaLigaSantander! 💛
A few months later, Calleri may just found his feet. Against Valencia and Atletico Madrid, the Argentine striker showed himself to be a useful focal point. Bullish and bruising as a presence, but also capable of neat little flicks and combinations with his teammates, he appears to have a useful blend of attributes necessary for playing alone up front for a club that rely on counter attacking football against the big teams.
As Las Palmas defeated Malaga 3-1 at La Rosaleda on Monday, their first away win in over a year, Calleri was the star of the show. His first league goal for the club came as a consolation against Atletico in a 5-1 defeat, a thumping header after a brilliant cross from the left-hand side, but his second was all of his own making.
After being slipped towards the penalty area by a neat, incisive pass into the right channel, Calleri used his pace and power to hold off the sizeable presence of Malaga centre-back Diego Gonzalez. Using just one touch to get the ball out of his feet, the 23-year-old rifled an unstoppable, powerful effort inside the near post and beyond the grasp of Roberto. It was an emphatic goal, one to properly announce himself into LaLiga with.
Las Palmas may have lost part of their identity after the departure of Setien as manager, and Roque Mesa was a vital piece of the puzzle too. Kevin-Prince Boateng was loved by the fans and provided goal, but Calleri can earn himself the same reputation too. With his strength, pace and ability to beat a man, he should be a vital asset in their battle against relegation.
After a tough season in England and several years of finding it difficult to nail down first-team football, the Argentine forward appears to have found the right environment to kick start his career from. Three games into the Spanish top-flight campaign, he's looking to be one of the most astute deals of the summer. His price tag currently stands at 15 million euros and Las Palmas can’t afford such a figure. It shouldn’t be long until the vultures start circling.
