Manchester United are reportedly set to step up their pursuit of Alex Sandro, who is now the number one priority to replace Luke Shaw this summer.
According to a report by Manchester Evening News, Manchester United are set to prioritise the move for Juventus defender Alex Sandro in the summer transfer window. The Premier League heavyweights have cooled their interest in Danny Rose and Kieran Tierney as potential replacements for Luke Shaw.
Sandro has progressed leaps and bounds since joining Juventus from Porto in the summer of 2015. Over the last three seasons, the player has not just established himself as a mainstay for the Bianconeri, but also as one of the best full-backs in the world.
A quintessentially modern full-back who is a threat in the final third in addition to being a useful defender, Sandro has a handy tally of 4 goals and 6 assists in 36 appearances across all competitions this season. But, there have been murmurings over a potential departure from Juventus this summer, which has piqued the interest of Manchester United.
The left-back position has been the single most uncertain slot at Manchester United since Jose Mourinho took charge last season. The manager has constantly been at loggerheads with Luke Shaw, whose winter resurgence was only a false dawn, and the player is no longer in the Portuguese’s good books.
In Shaw’s stead, Ashley Young has managed to be an admirable left-back for Manchester United, despite the position being alien to him before this season. But, the Englishman is on the wrong side of 30, and is not really a long-term solution, while the likes of Matteo Darmian and Daley Blind have failed to take their chances.
With Shaw likely to depart from Old Trafford in the summer, Sandro is a viable target for Manchester United to pursue. The Red Devils were also linked with the likes of Danny Rose and Kieran Tierney in recent months, but seem to have cooled their interest in the duo.
What also makes him an attractive prospect is the fact that Sandro is likely to miss the flight to Russia with Brazil unless Filipe Luis or Marcelo miss out due to injury, which would allow the Juventus man to take part in Manchester United’s pre-season tour to USA from the get-go.
Manchester United are also likely to be in the driver’s seat in pursuit of Sandro, considering they can allow Matteo Darmian, who is a well known target for Juventus, to move the other way. It now remains to be seen if the Red Devils’ long-standing interest in the Brazilian indeed ends with his signing in the summer.
