Man Utd want to finalise ‘early’ deal for €60m attacker identified as January Sancho replacement
According to reports, Manchester United are stepping up their interest in Juventus attacker Federico Chiesa, who is also being linked with Liverpool.
The 25-year-old made a huge impact for Italy at the European Championships in 2021 but his development has been hampered by a serious knee injury.
Chiesa was out of action for around 10 months before returning in November 2022 after suffering an anterior cruciate ligament injury.
The attacker struggled after returning from injury last season but he has made a sensational start to the 2023/24 campaign. He has four goals in his first six Serie A appearances for Juventus this term.
Chiesa was heavily linked with Liverpool during the summer transfer window as they attempt to identify Mo Salah’s replacement but they are reportedly facing competition from Man Utd.
Man Utd are short of options in wide areas as Jadon Sancho and Antony (for differing reasons) are not available for selection at the moment.
And Italian outlet Calciomercato (via Sport Witness) are reporting that Man Utd have picked out Chiesa as a replacement for Sancho.
After butting heads with Erik ten Hag, Sancho is reportedly ‘refusing’ to ‘apologise’ and insiders have told I News that a return to Old Trafford is currently a “distant dream”.
“He is a great player, that doesn’t go away, so he will have offers in January if we are where we are now – with first-team football at United a distant dream,” a Man Utd insider told I News.
“But clubs need to see something that would encourage them to bring him to their club. Talent alone won’t get him a move to another top team.
“We are aware of how this all looks for him, and the longer United leave him in the cold, the lower his appeal drops.”
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Calciomercato are reporting that Man Utd want to complete a deal for Chiesa ‘as early as January’ and Juventus are said to value him at no less than €60m.
Chiesa is under contract until 2025 but Juventus are reportedly looking to extend his deal until 2026 in an attempt to fend off interest from clubs in the Premier League.
Regarding Sancho, Man Utd legend Roy Keane thinks he would quickly be forgiven if he “showed some humility” and apologised to his teammates.
“If you have got questions marks over this player, he is not training properly and he does turn around and show some sort of humility and says maybe I got it wrong, you can move on very quickly,” Keane said.
“We’ve been in dressing rooms where players have come in and said: ‘Sorry lads I have made a mistake’, it is forgotten about very quickly.
“Football dressing rooms are a strange dynamic, if a player shows they care and they are human, it’s fine. We move on quickly.”
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