So Chelsea fans, Franco Vazquez? Is he the player to rescue your season? Indeed, could Jose Mourinho build his new team around the Palermo man?
Maurizio Zamparini, Palermo's brash, outspoken president, let it slip this week - Chelsea are in contact about their exciting attacking midfielder. But the Blues are not alone and will face competition from both AC Milan and Inter Milan should they follow up their enquiries with a firm bid.
"Franco is the best playmaker that we have in Italy, he can also be someone to be compared to (Michel) Platini," Zamparini declared. "I've already had two requests from a big club and I think that if this continues it will be his last season in Palermo.
"Milan, Inter and Chelsea have made approaches, but I said that in January he will not move."
Vazquez is just the latest South American on Palermo's production line now preparing to make the jump to a Champions League club. After raking in over €40 million from Paulo Dybala's sale last summer, Zamparini has assured Vazquez's minders he won't drive as hard a bargain for a player he likens to World Cup legend Roberto Baggio.
“Vazquez is like Baggio," Zamparini says. “He provides fantasy, he's the man for the final ball."
And of a price, the president insists: "The figure we are talking about is from €15 - 20 million, not the €40 million for Dybala."
For a player he's happy to compare with Baggio, why the climbdown? Perhaps it has something to do with Vazquez's personality.
It's a cliche, but Vazquez is happy to do his talking on the pitch. Palermo's No20 has never been one to make a fuss and the nickname he earned back home in Argentina with Belgrano has stuck with him in Sicily. El Mudo, he's known as, 'the mute'.
Sergio Magliano, Vazquez's junior coach at Belgrano, recalls: "Franco is remembered with great affection. He's always been a quiet boy, quiet, very polite. And above all, a great player.
"Since a kid, he was very strong technically with a good shot from distance. Unlike his teammates, however, he did not have that 'garra' that distinguishes us Argentines."
And the El Mudo tag?
"He never talked, either on the field or off. Sometimes we tried to encourage him during games, when things went wrong the bench yelled at him, to get a gesture of disapproval . But he did not care about anyone, was indifferent, but then responded with the ball, inventing the play that solved the game. And we all would smile."
It's that low key personality which perhaps saw him struggle during his first years with Palermo - and fall out with former coach Rino Gattuso, the AC Milan legend. Vazquez arrived in Sicily to much fanfare and publicity, signing for the Rosanero as a replacement for Javier Pastore in 2012.
But he battled to live up to his reputation and after being palmed off to Rayo Vallecano, where again the Argentine failed to establish himself, he found himself dropped from the first team squad by Gattuso, with Palermo languishing in Serie B.
Many were writing Vazquez off, convinced the step up to Europe was just too much for a player who'd never tasted international football at any level for Argentina. However, then came Zamparini's intervention.
Gattuso was sacked and replaced by Beppe Iachini, who immediately reinstalled Vazquez to the squad for the second-half of the 2013/14 season. Iachini also took Vazquez under his wing, pushing the then midfielder into a No10 role behind Dybala in the Rosanero attack. It was a decision that transformed Vazquez's career and fired Palermo back into Serie A.
Young Torino striker Andrea Belotti, who was with the Rosanero at the time, recalls: "Iachini gave confidence to Vazquez, he became instantly ready to play. I think he was one of the most important players for our promotion.
"He also scored the decisive goal in Novara that gave us promotion to Serie A.
"He has an excellent technique, he does things so many times you cannot even imagine. He seems to lose the ball and instead has everything under control."
Last season, back in Serie A, Dybala and Vazquez were a revelation. For Palermo fans, they hadn't seen such a pairing since the celebrated duo of Edinson Cavani and Pastore.
And now, even with Dybala just a memory, Vazquez's progress continues unchecked. A first cap - for Italy - was earned late, last season against England and there are growing calls among football identities for the 26 year-old to be taken to France next summer for the Euros.
"His Mum is Italian, what more do people want?" says Iachini, defending his player against those who insist Vazquez isn't 'Italian enough' for Antonio Conte's squad.
"I know him and I can tell you that he is more Italian than many others physically born here. In any case, if a guy feels an emotional bond (to Italy), then all this talk is of little use."
Such has been his recent form, that many say Vazquez would've been better off waiting for an inevitable call from Tata Martino, the Argentina coach, this season.
"No, no way do I regret my choice," he argues. "Look, I'm part of a big squad, with many great players. Just being with them is an honour."
As for his best position, the greats of the game are split.
Inter hero Beppe Bergomi says: 'El Mudo is one of the best players in Serie A.
"He makes the difference in games. I talk about his dribbling, precision passing, etc. I really like him. I consider him the perfect playmaker, a real number 10."
However, AC Milan legend Zvonimir Boban feels potentially there's more goals in Vazquez's game.
"Bergomi argues Franco Vazquez is a real number 10, a playmaker in fact. I disagree completely. For me he is an out-and-out striker.
"He would make it in that position, because he has important dribbling ability and a nice shot."
With the pundits lining up to heap praise on him, Vazquez's teammates know he's on the brink of bigger things. A move to Milan has been mooted, but those he shares a locker room with hope the likes of Chelsea is the more likely destination.
"We are lucky to still have him," says goalkeeper Stefano Sorrentino. "When you have to unlock a game, give the ball to him and he solves everything.
"If he must leave in June, we hope he goes abroad, so I don't have to face him!"
