Former boy-wonder Alexandre Rodrigues da Silva, that is Alexandre Pato, still just 26, has today officially signed with Chelsea, on loan for six months with a possible permanent transfer to follow in the summer if things work out. Low risk, high reward I suppose is the most positive way to look at this.
We're delighted to announce the loan signing of Alexandre Pato... https://t.co/KRVK7JGwhN #CFC pic.twitter.com/y4d3ohwjdQ
— Chelsea FC (@ChelseaFC) January 29, 2016
Pato, who's actually younger than any of our other three first-team strikers, has certainly been around the block a few times. He was just a teenager when he burst onto the scene with AC Milan, taking Europe and the Serie A by storm. He was so tremendously great, in fact, that not even his own body could keep up with him. During these past few seasons in Brazil he seems to have kicked the injury habit, though we'll see how that holds up in the higher intensity of the Premier League. Same goes for his decent goal ratio, especially last year for Sao Paulo (26 in 56 in all competitions).
Pato's last competitive match was at the end of November, and while he supposedly had been keeping in shape at Corinthians' training ground, he's quite likely nowhere near match-fit. So expect at least a couple weeks, maybe, for him to get up to speed.
In any case, welcome Pato. Let's make the most of this wretched season.