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Manchester United have submitted a £30m bid for an “incredible” Atletico Madrid star, who has now been identified as a priority target.
Man Utd eyeing new midfielder amid managerial uncertainty
Following Ruben Amorim’s departure, Gary Neville has made it clear he believes the next appointment needs to fit the ‘DNA’ of Man United, which means the next manager would need to be willing to play attacking football and implement young players in the first team.
Plenty of potential targets have already been identified, with Mauricio Pochettino, Luis Enrique, Eddie Howe and Thomas Tuchel all reportedly of interest, while there have been suggestions former manager Ole Gunnar Solksjaer could return on an interim basis.
Although United don’t have a permanent manager in place, they are continuing to scour the market for potential new signings, and Fabrizio Romano recently revealed they could make a move for Nottingham Forest star Elliot Anderson.
However, a central midfielder from a little further afield is now emerging as a priority target for Man United, according to a report from Spain, which states they have submitted an opening offer of €35m (£30m) for Atletico Madrid star Marcos Llorente.
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Atletico are hesitant to sanction a departure, however, given Llorente’s versatility, with the 30-year-old capable of playing in a number of positions, including central midfield, attacking midfield and full-back.
There is a belief within United that the Spaniard would be the perfect addition to the squad, given his experience at the top level, and having followed him for quite some time, they have now made a concrete move.
“Incredible” Llorente impressing in La Liga and Europe
The Atletico star has predominantly featured as a right-back this season, but that hasn’t stopped him showcasing his attacking prowess, scoring three goals in four appearances for the Spanish side in the Champions League.
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Not only that, but the Madrid-born ace also has three assists to his name in 15 La Liga outings, and he is very impressive in possession of the ball, averaging a pass-completion percentage of 87.1% per 90 over the past year, which places him in the 95th percentile, compared to other full-backs.
Lauded as “incredible” by scout Jacek Kulig, the £139k-a-week star is vastly experienced at the top level, having made 48 Champions League appearances, while he also has 22 caps to his name for Spain.
With Casemiro’s contract set to expire at the end of the season, Man United could do with bringing in another experienced central midfielder, and Llorente fits the bill, but it may be better to appoint a new head coach first, and decide who to sign based on their style of play.
