Sunderland AFC gem produced moments of magic despite Middlesbrough FC controversy: View | OneFootball

Julio Arca will always be remembered fondly on Wearside despite his transfer to Middlesbrough.

While many analyse statistics to measure a player's impact at a club, watching a player perform in the moment is a true indication of their talent.

Growing up as a Sunderland supporter in the late 90s and early 00s, Kevin Phillips would have been the name on most young fans' shirts, but there was another who was truly thrilling to watch in red and white.

As one of eight Argentines to play for the Black Cats, Julio Arca made a lasting impression on Sunderland fans despite signing for Middlebrough after his six-year stint.

Peter Reid signed Julio Arca for Sunderland following an appearance at Craven Cottage

Prior to Arca's arrival on Wearside, Claudio Marangoni was the only Argentine who had come before him, and having only made 13 appearances for the club during the 1979/80 season, his impact was forgettable.

Arca signed from Argentinos Juniors in 2000, a side that produced Diego Maradona and Juan Roman Riquelme. While Sunderland did not possess the pulling power to sign a player of their qualities, they did an almighty job in recruiting a player of Arca's talent.

Peter Reid was reportedly alerted to the midfielder, having watched him play for Argentina under-21s against England in a friendly at Craven Cottage, as per Planet Football. Such was the impression he left on Reid, that he signed the then 19-year-old for a reported £3.5m.

Julio Arca became a fan favourite at Sunderland

While Arca had to wait until the fourth gameweek of the Premier League season to make his debut in red and white, he made an immediate impact and scored on debut against West Ham United with a rare headed goal.

Arca reflected on his debut goal during a 2020 interview with Planet Football: “I didn’t play many games in front of that amount of people at the beginning of my football career, so it was a good welcome to play my first game with 48,000 fans in a full stadium. I was lucky to score, so it was a great start for myself."

Under Reid, the Argentine was able to adapt to English football and was part of Sunderland's most recent successful side in the Premier League era, having finished seventh in the 2000/01 season.

As the Black Cats began their demise, Arca featured less and less under Howard Wilkinson, but when the Wearsiders were relegated to the First Division in 2003, the Argentine was given a new lease of life under Mick McCarthy.

During his time in the second tier, a level below his true standard, the midfielder enjoyed his best seasons in terms of contributions, with a combined 13 goals and nine assists over two seasons.

In reality, there was so much more to Arca's game than goals and assists. Yes, he had an eye for goal and was lethal from set pieces, but the way he played the game is what stuck in fans' minds.

If Middlesbrough were Newcastle United, then Arca's legacy would have been tarnished beyond repair, but the fact he is considered a hero at Sunderland tells a tale of the supposed 'rivalry' between the two clubs.

Arca was always going to leave the Black Cats in 2006, given they were relegated from the Premier League with a record low points tally. Players of his calibre do not stick around, and nobody could begrudge him the move away from Wearside.

If fans were given a choice, then Boro would have been high on the list of clubs that they would not have wanted him to depart for, but he loved the North East and naturally wanted to remain in the area.

The reported fee of £1.75m that took him to Boro, as per BBC Sport, brings a tear to the eye. Just how can a player that good be sold for relative peanuts? Obviously, it was a different time and relegation affected the fee, but it left a bitter taste.

At Middlesbrough, Arca ultimately endured the same cursed fate from his time at Sunderland and suffered the third relegation of his career with the Teeside club in 2009.

Despite enduring a third relegation, he still showcased his mercurial talent with some memorable displays for Boro with his wand of a left foot.

Julio Arca achieved non-league greatness with South Shields

Such was the Argentine's love for the North East, that he enjoyed a spell at non-league outfit, South Shields, after his time with Sunderland and Boro.

While Arca never got the chance to play at Wembley during his spells at the so-called 'rivals', he lived out one of his dreams by lifting a trophy at the home of football. The midfielder captained his side to a 4-0 win over Cleethorpes Town in the 2017 FA Vase final.

The Argentine was clearly moved by the occasion and spoke openly about the achievement: "It's probably even more than what I thought it was going to be," Arca told BBC Newcastle.

"To lift that trophy after the game, it's hard to explain how happy I'm feeling. I always mention the people who worked here in the tough times. Now they can enjoy the good times."

How players are remembered by fans tells a story of their impact at a club, and Arca is remembered zealously by the Black Cats faithful.

Not even a move to Middlesbrough could hamper his hero status on Wearside, although that highlights the supposed 'rivalry' between the two clubs.