Southampton fans were left divided by the club’s decision to sell Carlos Alcaraz to Flamengo this summer with many feeling he could be a useful option for Russell Martin this season.
Carlos Alcaraz only signed for Southampton from Club America in January 2023, with the Saints paying £12 million for the enigmatic Argentine.
Having impressed in his first six months at the club despite a poor Southampton side finishing bottom of the Premier League, Alcaraz struggled to earn the trust of Russell Martin after his arrival last summer.
That saw the 21-year-old join Juventus in January in a surprise loan deal which included a £42 million option to buy.
After struggling to make an impact in Italy, Juve passed up this opportunity which left Alcaraz with an uncertain future.
The attacking midfielder was given a chance in pre-season and was actually the best player on the pitch in the penultimate friendly of the summer against Lazio despite being sent off for an altercation that resulted in a 22-man scuffle.
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Former Southampton man Carlos Alcaraz sent off on Flamengo debut
Ultimately, the decision was made that Alcaraz would be sold if a suitable offer came in, with the arrival of Mateus Fernandes at Southampton meaning he fell further down the pecking order.
It was Brazilian side Flamengo who tabled an offer deemed worth of Alcaraz’ services, as Southampton accepted an £18 million bid late in the transfer window.
For Alcaraz, it was a return to South America and the youngster made his Flamengo debut against Corinthians last night.
Alcaraz started on the bench before being introduced at half-time with the scores 1-1. Corinthians would go on to win the game thanks to a 60th-minute Angel Romero goal, but the real talking point came in second-half stoppage time.
Ironically, it was Southampton summer striker target Yuri Alberto that started the drama as he was sent off immediately for a dangerous and ill-intended challenge on a Flamengo defender.
This then saw a melee break out, with Alcaraz quick to get involved and the Argentinian was once again sent off as tempers boiled over.
Alcaraz’ Flamengo debut shows why Russell Martin let him leave Southampton
The frustration with Alcaraz is that he is a huge talent but this is clearly a feature of his game that he needs to get under control.
Still only 21, Alcaraz should learn from this and, whilst it is easy to see why he reacted the way he did given the vicious nature of the challenge, he is no use to his team if he is suspended.
Martin had concerns about Alzaraz’ understanding of what he was being asked to do tactically within his meticulously planned possession style, but there were also concerns about his temperament within Southampton.
This episode has only served to show Martin was right to move Alcaraz on as it is unlikely the Saints boss would have ever been able to fully trust the talented but raw midfielder.