According to reports in The Sun, Manchester United are in pole position to land Atalanta midfielder and Juventus, Inter Milan and Atletico Madrid target Bryan Cristante in a £31m deal next summer, as they look for a replacement for Marouane Fellaini.
What’s the word, then?
Well, The Sun says that Fellaini looks set to leave Old Trafford after rejecting the club’s latest contract offer, and Jose Mourinho has already started the search for the Belgium international’s replacement.
Cristante is on loan at Atalanta from Benfica, but The Sun says the Italian outfit have the option to sign the 22-year-old on a permanent basis for £10m at the end of the season.
That is something they are likely to do considering some of the midfielder’s impressive performances for them this term, but they could then choose to sell him on for an even bigger fee during the summer transfer window.
The Sun adds that Juventus, Inter Milan and Atletico Madrid won’t pay the £31m that Atalanta are likely to demand for the Italian, which could leave the Red Devils in pole position to land him.
How has Cristante done this season?
The midfielder has scored an impressive eight goals in 17 appearances in all competitions fro Atalanta, having featured in both central and central attacking midfield roles.
Two of those eight goals came in the 5-1 Europa League win against Everton at Goodison Park last week, where the 22-year-old played in a more advanced role.
Would he be a good Fellaini replacement?
With five goals scored and 10 chances created in 13 Serie A appearances this season Cristante certainly looks as though he can make a difference in the final third, but of course we have seen that Fellaini is also so useful defensively for United since Mourinho took charge.
Standing at 6ft 1in tall the 22-year-old doesn’t quite have the height and physical presence that the Belgian does, but according to Squawka he has shown his strength in the air by winning 20 of the 31 aerial duels he has faced in the Italian top flight this term.
He has also made 13 interceptions and five blocks, to show that he can be effective from a defensive point of view as well.
What’s the verdict, then?
Well, it won’t be easy to find someone exactly like Fellaini and Cristante certainly looks to have the potential to go on and become a top player, and perhaps he deserves that chance at Old Trafford.
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