Manchester United are preparing for one of the biggest transfer windows in the club’s recent history this summer, with sporting director Jason Wilcox armed with a potentially record-breaking budget.
Fixing the Engine Room
The Red Devils’ priority is a major overhaul of Michael Carrick’s midfield unit, which is braced for the loss of Casemiro. Manuel Ugarte’s dismal performances mean he is likely to follow the Brazilian through the exit door.
A £39 million deal has already been struck for Atalanta dynamo Ederson, while talks are ongoing for West Ham and Portugal starlet Mateus Fernandes. A daring raid for Sandro Tonali is gaining momentum as well, though Newcastle United’s £100m valuation for the 26-year-old Italian remains prohibitive.
United are still in the race for Elliot Anderson, though there is growing acceptance in M16 that the Nottingham Forest talisman will be arriving in the blue half of Manchester after the World Cup finishes next month. There remains a sliver of hope that a blockbuster swoop for Real Madrid superstar Aurelien Tchouameni could happen as well, given the ongoing state of flux which has engulfed the Santiago Bernabeu this year.
But one target the Red Devils are set to miss out on is Aleksandar Stankovic, as Inter Milan have now exercised their buy-back option to re-sign the highly-rated 20-year-old midfielder.
Tempted by the Theatre of Dreams
Stankovic has enjoyed a superb season with Club Brugge, propelling the Belgian side to their 20th league title with his all-action displays at the heart of Ivan Leko’s side.
Despite operating as a more defensively-minded midfielder, the Serbia under-21 international returned nine goals and five assists in all competitions, demonstrating his ability to be decisive in all phases of play.
Stankovic also possesses an unrelenting engine, capable of going all out across the whole ninety minutes, with a total of 55 appearances across a monster campaign at the Jan Breydel Stadium.
One recruiter has even drawn a comparison to Arsenal’s Premier League-winning talisman, Declan Rice: “He is a real class act. Not dissimilar to a young Declan Rice – that’s the comparison for me. You can see he’s inherited his class from his father. This kid is a major talent.”
It’s little wonder, therefore, the Italian-born Serb has been high on United’s radar, as well as a number of other top clubs, including Arsenal, Chelsea and Tottenham Hotspur, as well as Atletico Madrid and Borussia Dortmund.
Inter Milan always held the trump card, however, having sold Stankovic to Club Brugge last summer with a “buy-back option worth just over £20million” – which I Nerazzurri have now activated, according to TEAMtalk.
While this move was always predicted, the report states United “remained firmly in the picture” should the opportunity present itself to strike, with scouts understood to be “regularly monitoring his progress in Belgium”, with visions of a tantalising partnership with Kobbie Mainoo.
Stankovic is even said to have been “genuinely tempted by the prospect of a move to England”, with interest from Old Trafford “viewed positively by the player and his representatives.”
Final Thoughts
Ultimately, the lure of a return to the San Siro – the home where his father, Inter legend Dejan Stankovic, made his name – proved “impossible to ignore” for the youngster. The former Serbia international has predicted his “phenomenal” son could be even better than him.
United will undoubtedly continue to monitor the Stankovic’s progress in Milan, as he possesses a rare combination of physical and technical attributes few midfielders can boast in their arsenal – just like a certain Arsenal powerhouse.
Featured image Alex Bierens de Haan via Getty Images
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