The Salomon Rondon’s agent Pablo Martinez confirmed that he has been in contact with a handful of Chelsea, but that no deal has been mooted yet, with the player weighing up his options.

No Venezuelan has ever played in the Premier League. However, drastic improvements in the country’s performances on the international stage have increased the awareness of the talent they possess. At the heart of this is Malaga’s Salomon Rondon who has shown his ability to compete at the highest levels of the game. Chelsea‘s reported interest in him serves to highlight the vast improvement of the national game and the rapidly increasing number of young and exciting talents they possess.

Rondon is a big, powerful striker who at 22-years-old ended last season as Malaga’s highest scorer with 11 goals. Whilst not being prolific it was only his second his season in European top-flight football and the season before he had netted 14 goals. Now he looks set to compete in the Champions League for the first time and even if he does not make the move to England this season, a series of impressive performances would only serve to enhance his reputation.

At international level he has been the spearhead in attack as Venezuela have taken a more competitive role in South America. Despite the nation’s first sport being baseball, after a hugely impressive Copa America campaign last year that only saw them defeated at the semi-finals on penalties by Paraguay the strides taken by the country have been astronomical.

The Vinotinto now sit fifth in the continent’s World Cup qualifying table, a position that holds a berth in the intercontinental play-off. With a young coach in charge of the side in Cesar Farias they play pragmatic football and look to restrict their opponents’ chances and score on the counterattack. This was evident as they achieved a 1-1 draw with Uruguay in Montevideo earlier this month with Rondon netting a late equaliser as well as a 1-0 win over Argentina back in October.

The defensive solidity owes much to the improved strength in depth in recent months provided by repatriated European-based players. The nation’s impressive performances have encouraged uncapped players with links to the country to wear the Vinotinto shirt. Athletic Bilbao’s Fernando Amorebieta has become a fixture in the heart of defence while another two young European-based defenders in Rolf Feltscher of Parma and Young Boys’ Alexander Gonzalez look promising. Twente right-back Roberto Rosales however was born in the country and he has performed excellently for his country. After leaving Caracas at 19 years of age he has proved to be consistent in both the Belgian and Dutch leagues and continues to improve at Steve McClaren’s side.

The experienced Juan Arango could now get the chance to display his talent on the major European stage after playing an integral part in Borussia Monchengladbach’s fourth-placed Bundesliga finish. Yet it is another Germany-based star who, whilst performing frequently for his nation, is yet to make his mark at club level.

Wolfsburg’s Yohandry Orozco has made just five appearances since signing for the club in January 2011. Nicknamed ‘La Perla’ or The Pearl, he loves to have the ball at his feet and is eager to run at defenders. His potential is huge but he is most likely struggling for playing time in the Bundesliga due to his selfishness in possession and his poor decision making. Yet once he improves upon his these factors, as well as his composure and passing, he could well become an influential player in Europe’s third league.

One player who has been as fortunate not to get a move to across the Atlantic Ocean is Fernando Aristeguieta. He started his career brightly with Caracas in the 2009-10 season contributing six goals to the club’s championship winning campaign but a serious injury ruled him out of much of the next season, and critically their 2011 Copa Libertadores campaign. Now, at 20-years-old, he has returned to form for Los Rojos with 11 goals in 31 appearances. A rangy striker with a clinical finish, if he can avoid injuries having broken into the full international set-up then he will prove capable of competing with the likes of Rondon and Nicolas “Miku” Fedor.

The performances of 2011 have provided Venezuela with the ability to announce themselves on the international stage and they now look like potential candidates to reach their first ever World Cup 2014. With the marathon qualification continuing well into 2013 it offers these players a realistic chance of earning their place in some of Europe’s top leagues in the coming years. It may not be too long until the Premier League gets its first Venezuelan.

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