Fresh off a decent 2014 World Cup with Colombia, Carlos Sanchez joined Aston Villa from Spanish outfit Elche in a deal that left manager Paul Lambert delighted.
“Carlos is a very experienced professional who played a prominent role in a Colombian team which captured everyone’s imagination at this summer’s World Cup in Brazil,” Lambert was quoted saying by BBC Sport following Sanchez’s arrival at Villa Park.
But it was not just Lambert who was pleased to see Sanchez join the Midlands club with supporters having also expressed their joy when the signing of the Colombian was finally announced.
@AVFCOfficial @SanchezCarlosA Awesome
— Ken Plows (@peelows) August 15, 2014
@rossodonoghue_8 @AVFCOfficial @SanchezCarlosA looks alright tbf
— El Díppé dél Deäñ (@Noqc_) August 15, 2014
https://twitter.com/KingEightyOne/status/500309233066586112
https://twitter.com/villatola/status/500309004791586816
@AVFCOfficial @SanchezCarlosA Boom! Welcome and well done!!
— John Millichamp (@jmillichamp) August 15, 2014
@AVFCOfficial @SanchezCarlosA WOOOO! best signing by far.
— ben (@benjaminatb) August 15, 2014
@AVFCOfficial @SanchezCarlosA YES FINALLY!! #UTV
— Will (@lydAV_) August 15, 2014
@Alexcat1919 @AVFCOfficial @SanchezCarlosA been crying out for someone like him much needed
— stuart raffle AVFC (@STURAFFLE) 16 August 2014
@AVFCOfficial @SanchezCarlosA So happy with this signing think he's a great player and hopefully live up to the expectation #avfc
— Jake Avery (@JakeAvery4) August 15, 2014
And given he had a role in an exciting Colombia World Cup team, it was not surprising to see the kind of above reactions when Sanchez made the switch from Elche to Aston Villa.
Unfortunately for Sanchez and the Villa Park faithful, though, the 32-year-old was unable to play at the high standard that was expected of him.
In fact, Sanchez put in some truly atrocious performances during his time with Aston Villa as he went on to see relegation from the Premier League with the club in the 2015/16 season before joining Fiorentina on loan and then permanently.
Fours years after signing for Aston Villa and Sanchez now finds himself playing his football in England again after West Ham decided to take a punt on him over the summer.
In this moment of time, though, it is looking like a punt that is unlikely to pay off with Sanchez failing to impress in any of the appearances he has made so far for the Hammers.
That, however, will not surprise Aston Villa supporters who were originally conned into thinking Lambert and Randy Lerner had done an amazing piece of business by bringing Sanchez into the club.
