• Premier League

Michu gets chance to impress Spain boss

ESPN staff
January 10, 2013
Michu will get the chance to earn a call-up for Spain © PA Photos
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Spain coach Vicente Del Bosque plans to visit Goodison Park on Saturday to watch Michu as he considers handing the in-form Swansea attacker a first international call-up, according to the newspaper AS.

Michu's strike against Chelsea in Wednesday's 2-0 Capital One Cup first-leg win at Stamford Bridge was his 16th goal in an outstanding first Premier League season, which has led to loud calls in both Spain and the UK for the Asturian to be given a chance with La Roja.

Spanish radio show Carrusel Deportivo claimed on Wednesday evening that Del Bosque planned to include the former Rayo Vallecano attacker in his squad for Spain's friendly against Uruguay in Doha on February 6.

New faces are expected to be tried out during the match ahead of the following month's crucial World Cup qualifiers at home to Finland and away in France.

Asked in December about the attacker's chances of breaking into the squad, Del Bosque said the 26-year-old was under consideration, while pointing to the depth of attacking talent he had available.

"We now have many forwards," Del Bosque said then. "People are putting themselves forward - Alvaro Negredo, Roberto Soldado, Aritz Aduriz, Iago Aspas, Michu... We need to try and be fair. It is not just about goals.

"I rate Michu a lot - he is playing for a team which is not among the top sides, he is not a pure forward, and he is scoring a lot of goals, as he did already at Rayo."

While competition for places is tough in the Spanish squad, a lack of game time for all-time top scorer David Villa, and particularly Athletic Bilbao's rarely used Fernando Llorente, could open up a spot in the squad for another attacker.

Swansea's other Spanish players - Chico, Angel Rangel and Pablo Hernandez, who already has four caps and one goal for Spain - will also have the opportunity to impress Del Bosque at Goodison.

The Spain coach, named the FIFA Coach of the Year for 2012 this week, also reportedly plans to take in Sunday's Arsenal v Manchester City game, to check on the form of Santi Cazorla, David Silva and Javi Garcia.

© ESPN Sports Media Ltd.
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