By Tim Vickery South American football reporter

Read my answers to this week's questions

Anderson's potential is quite breathtaking

Whoever wins this season's Premier League title, the coming campaign could be one which in 20 years time is seen as a landmark in the history of the domestic game.

This could be the season when South American players begin to make the big breakthrough.

All across Europe Brazilians and Argentines can be found tipping the balance and winning the trophies.

But nearly three decades after the arrival of Ossie Ardiles, and despite the odd success along the way, the English fortress has still not fallen.

Part of this, of course, is down to the style of play.

When they come to England, South Americans are aware that the game will be faster and more physical, but the sheer extent of the change usually leaves them shocked.

There are some players who are simply unable to adapt - but there are many who can.

After all, European teams have only ever won the World Cup in Europe.

The South Americans are so adaptable that they have won the competition in every continent in which it has been played.

And if South Americans can consistently star in the German league, there seems little doubt that many of them can make an important contribution in England.

The great news for Man Utd's Anderson is that rivals Man City have signed two of his compatriots

The key difference is that, unlike the rest of Europe, work permit restrictions have limited the amount of South Americans able to come to England.

This has a huge impact on their lives off the field.

So often English clubs have bought the player and forgotten the human being. Once training is over they have left their expensive imports entirely to their own devices.

For many South Americans the Anglo-Saxon stress on personal independence is an alien concept.

They need to feel wanted, and, justifiably enough, expect help settling in off the field in a land where they usually don't speak the language.

Elsewhere in Europe this is not such a problem. Help from the club is not so important.

Without the work permit restrictions there is often a group of South American players already in the area who can serve as a welcoming committee for the new arrival.

The globalisation of our game means that English football is finally well on the way to reaching a similar point.

There are now enclaves of South American players getting entrenched in different regions of the country.

A trickle from across the Atlantic appears to be turning into a steady stream.

The most interesting of the new faces is Manchester United's Brazilian teenager Anderson, signed for more than �20 m from Porto.

United are taking a chance. It is a lot of money to spend on a player with one injury-hit season in Portugal behind him, especially as the strength in depth of Sir Alex Ferguson's squad will inevitably limit Anderson's first team opportunities.

But the young Brazilian's potential is quite breathtaking. He has all the skills, a wonderful left foot, pace and strength on the ball, takes responsibility and can find a killer pass at the end of his surging runs.

Chosen as the best player of the 2005 Under-17 World Cup, he has already shown he can carry that kind of form into senior football.

Elano, classy and versatile, should do a sound job for Sven Goran Eriksson

And the great news for Anderson is that even before he has kicked a competitive ball for United his new local rivals have already done him a favour.

Manchester City have gone out and signed two of his compatriots.

Little striker Geovanni is a real gamble. He showed promise at the start of the decade, but has yet to fulfil it.

Midfielder Elano, classy and versatile, should do a sound job for Sven Goran Eriksson - but if his signing is good news for City, it is even better for Anderson.

They were together in Brazil's squad for the Copa America. Now, thrown together in the same, unfamiliar city, they can be expected to help each other settle in.

Anderson, then, will be less isolated off the field - which should help give him the confidence to lose his marker when he crosses the white line.

Got a question about South American football for Tim Vickery? Email him at vickerycolumn@hotmail.com

I've been hearing a lot about Alexandre Pato being dubbed the best young talent in Brazil - is he better than Kerlon, who a while ago was receiving the same kind of recognition?
Ahmed Osman

Kerlon was a sensation at the South American Under-17 championships more than two years ago, when he scored stacks and goals and revealed his fantastic 'seal dribble' where he runs with the ball on his forehead.

Since then, though, he has really struggled with injury and unfortunately has yet to take his promise through to senior level.

Alexandre Pato, on the other hand, was a star at senior level from the very moment he played his first full game last year just a few weeks past his 17th birthday, so there's no doubt that Pato is well in front.

He is a striker with all the skills of Ronaldo when he first burst on the scene as a skinny 17-year-old - wonderful dribbling, ice-cold finishing, great pace - plus terrific aerial ability.

The top European clubs had him on their wish list, and Milan have just clinched the deal.

Despite the Copa America victory, I still think Brazil have a lot to improve, mainly up front. Vagner Love didn't quite fill that role. Is there a feeling in Brazil that maybe it's time to recall Ronaldo? Or even Adriano?
Ranjeet Sanghera

In the long term they hope that Alexandre Pato will come through.

In the short term - well, Adriano was briefly called up last season to show him that he's still in the hat.

This is a big year for him - he paid the price for breaking into the Brazil team, going years without holidays, and has also had to deal with off the field problems, but he's young enough to come again.

The Ronaldo situation is very interesting. His form for Milan towards the end of last season shows that he is clearly still motivated.

But it seems that some in the Brazilian FA were not particularly impressed by his conduct during last year's World Cup, when he was the king of the team.

In his favour, though, is the fact that South America's World Cup qualifiers are soon underway.

It is a tough competition, where a fit and in form Ronaldo could still be an asset to the side.