Sabella again set to step into Maradona's shoes

The one-time Sheffield United and Leeds United player is manager of Buenos Aires-based side Estudiantes, who provide the opposition for the Blades in a pre-season friendly at Bramall Lane (kick-off 4pm).

Ironically, it will not be the first time that Sabella has stepped into Maradona's shoes if he does land the Argentinian job.

For when former Blades manager Harry Haslam returned from a scouting missing to South America in the late Seventies, he only agreed to sign Sabella after missing out on Maradona.

The exact reasons for the collapse of the deal for Maradona – who was still a relatively unknown 17-year-old playing for Argentinos Juniors – have been clouded by the mists of time but it is often stated that the Blades refused to pay 200,000 for his services.

It was River Plate's Sabella who ended up putting his name to Haslam's contract, instead, completing a 160,000 switch to the Blades in July, 1978.

Although Sabella won four international caps, he would never get anywhere the dizzy heights achieved by Maradona.

Sabella's first season with the Blades ended in relegation to the Third Division; his next included trips to such places as Exeter, Grimsby, and even tiny Burscough in the first round of the FA Cup.

In the summer of 1980, Sabella joined Leeds for 400,000 but was a flop at Elland Road. Again, his first season ended in relegation.

By December 1981, he was on his way home.

Reflecting on his three-year stay in Yorkshire, Sabella said: "It was a very important step in my life and it helped me mature a lot, especially away from the game because living far away from my country required me to change cultures.

"It made my personality and character stronger even though by then – at 23 when I arrived – your character is more or less defined. On the pitch, I had to change my game to play a different type of football, the higher speed being a big factor.

"I had a chance to play in the Second Division and also the First Division so I was lucky. There was a big difference between the two leagues; the First was just as tough, yet quicker, and the opposition a lot better because of the money spent on players and managers."

The door to English football opened wide to Argentinians following their country's success in the 1978 World Cup. Sabella was among the first arrivals along with Osvaldo Ardiles and Ricardo Villa, who joined Tottenham Hotspur, and Alberto Tarantini, at Birmingham City.

"It was a very good opportunity even though I was young and didn't know how to control myself," he recalled. "Players want to play in Europe, to play in the best leagues, to play in front of big crowds in great stadiums and, of course, for economic reasons in terms of the rewards which are also very important."

Sabella, 59, made over 150 appearances for Estudiantes following his return to Argentina and finished his playing career in Brazil and Mexico.

He assisted former team-mate Daniel Passarella, who managed Argentina at the 1998 World Cup, and the pair also moved on to Italian club Parma and the Uruguayan national side.

Sabella led Estudiantes to the Argentinian title last year before winning the Copa Libertadores – the South American equivalent of the UEFA Champions League.

Blades chief executive Trevor Birch believes the game can mark the start of a relationship between the clubs which may lead to player exchanges.

Estudiantes international director Sergio Neveleff, said: "We are currently at a high point as reigning champions of South America and we like the idea of creating a new relationship with an historic English club."

A link-up with Estudiantes would strengthen the Blades' international portfolio, which boasts links with Chengdu Blades (China), Ferencvaros (Hungary) and Central Coast Mariners (Australia).