Manchester United are in line to make a late transfer approach for Nicolo Barella.
Since the departure of Jose Mourinho in mid-December after the defeat to Liverpool, the Red Devils have been flying high under their interim manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer. With the latest victory over Arsenal, they have made it eight out of eight games, maintaining a 100% win record.
However, the Norwegian International is looking to add some more faces to the roster before the January transfer window closes. In the latest transfer news, Manchester United are eyeing to make a late approach for Cagliari midfielder Nicolo Barella who looks certain to leave the Italian outfit soon or rather than later, according to the Italian publication Gazzetta Dello Sport.
Nicolo Barella | ‘Impossible to say no’ to advances from Manchester United, with summer battle being talked up. https://t.co/ISeDBB6BQe #mufc
— Sport Witness (@Sport_Witness) January 25, 2019
Nicolo Barella is likely to move to the Premier League with Chelsea, Man United and Arsenal interested but Barella has been ‘much more enticed’ by Chelsea, with Maurizio Sarri and Gianfranco Zola both backing the signing.
{Gazzetta dello Sport} pic.twitter.com/W1Ykc4bzdu
— Sarrismo™ (@Blue_Footy) January 25, 2019
There was a continuous approach from Chelsea during the summer transfer window, but the Serie A club refused to do place him on the transfer list and were never ready to negotiate with the interested sides. He is also wanted by Inter Milan. It is also understood that Cagliari are seeking a fee of 50 million pounds for the midfielder.
Earlier this month, Gazzetta Dello Sport reported that the Red Devils made a ‘take it or leave it’ offer worth 30 million pounds.
Nicolo Barella | Manchester United made £30m ‘take it or leave it’ offer for midfielder three days ago, say Corriere dello Sport. https://t.co/MQp46S7nSM #mufc pic.twitter.com/NDeKLFqGAy
— Sport Witness (@Sport_Witness) January 7, 2019
Barella is the box-to-box midfielder who makes his team tick by linking up the midfield with attack. Since making his debut against Parma in 2015, he has gone on to become an integral member of the squad and has represented Cagliari 88 times.
Right from his young days, he has represented the junior levels for Italy and made his debut for Italy against Ukraine under the management of Roberto Mancini in 2018. He has won five caps till date.
It is no secret that Ole Gunnar Solskjaer is preferring a three-man midfield of Ander Herrera, Nemanja Matic, and Paul Pogba. The arrival of Fred from Shakhtar Donetsk for a fee of 50 million pounds has not done any favour to the Red Devils as he continues to search for regular game time. Besides, Ander Herrera’s contract will expire after this season.
On the other end, Andres Pereira has been considered no more than a squad player. The Norwegian is also looking to ship out Marouane Fellaini, who is attracting interested from the Italian giants AC Milan. Scott McTominay put pen to paper earlier this month, but it is no surprise that he would be shipped off if the Red Devils pursue another midfielder in the forthcoming month.
To strengthen his hand on the top four spot and a silverware, Solskjaer is ready to make a late approach for Nicolo Barella as he wants to bolster his midfielder by luring him to Old Trafford.
