Manchester United are reportedly plotting a shock move for Gary Cahill, with the Chelsea captain facing an uncertain future at Stamford Bridge.
According to a report by The Sun, Gary Cahill has emerged as a shock target for Manchester United at this late juncture of the summer transfer window. Jose Mourinho has identified the Chelsea captain as an alternative to Toby Alderweireld and Harry Maguire, and could launch the offensive for him.
Cahill has gone on to enjoy a lot of success since joining Chelsea from Bolton Wanderers in 2012, winning every major trophy at club level with the Blues. The Englishman has also been entrusted with the club’s captaincy since the departure of John Terry, having undoubtedly been one of their best defenders for over half-a decade.
But, the 2017-18 season also saw him fall down the pecking order, with the advent of Antonio Rudiger and Andreas Christensen coinciding with the same. His stature is unlikely to change under new Chelsea boss Maurizio Sarri, if widespread reports are to be believed. Cahill’s uncertain position has now piqued the interest of Manchester United.
Jose Mourinho’s pursuit of a centre-back for the third successive summer transfer window has been well documented. The Manchester United boss has often been left dismayed by the inconsistencies of some of his defenders and has thus, been considering several players to bolster the heart of defence.
Among these, Toby Alderweireld and Harry Maguire are believed to be the favourites for Manchester United. But, there are complications in the pursuit of both players, their respective clubs demanding prohibitive fee that are proving to be the obstacles for the Red Devils.
Cahill has thus, emerged as a target for his former Chelsea boss, who is now looking to reunite with the player at Old Trafford. The interest from Manchester United though, comes as a bit of a surprise as the veteran defender will only be a short-term solution, if at all, considering he has already shown signs of age catching up to him.
While Cahill could be the defensive leader that the Manchester United manager has been craving for, his own inconsistent performances have the potential of doing more harm than good. Nevertheless, it looks like Mourinho has the Chelsea captain firmly in his sights, although he remains an alternative for now.
So, a double raid on Chelsea could be on the horizon for Manchester United, with Willian also heavily linked in recent days. For now though, the 32-year-old remains a backup target if things go south in the pursuits of Alderweireld and Maguire. But, with less than two weeks left for the window to slam shut in England, we could well see Mourinho make a move for Cahill in the coming days.
