Federico Valverde has emerged as an option for Manchester United in the summer as they brace themselves for life without Paul Pogba.
According to an exclusive report by The Sun, Manchester United have already started their preparation for the summer transfer window. The club is braced to lose their star midfielder Paul Pogba, which is why Ole-Gunnar Solskjaer is looking at several players who could possibly replace the Frenchman next season.
One such player Manchester United could target is Federico Valverde. The Real Madrid midfielder shares similar characteristics as Pogba, who, meanwhile, has voiced his desire to play for Los Blancos in the past – potentially paving the way for these clubs to sanction an interesting swap deal this summer.
Zinedine Zidane himself is a huge admirer of Pogba and will likely be open to signing the Frenchman who could be an ideal replacement for the ageing Luka Modric. His dynamism in midfield, combined with an ability to pick out long passes or sharp forward passes tunes in well with Real Madrid’s direct, counter-attacking style of football.
The event of Pogba’s arrival should also make it easier for Zidane to offload Valverde. The Uruguayan international has had a difficult campaign in La Liga – one that has been marred by injuries, ultimately restricting his gametime to under 800 minutes of league football so far.
The youngster, though, should be an appealing target for Manchester United, who could require midfield reinforcements in the summer.
Although the Red Devils have had major success in the Premier League, thanks to brilliant performances from Scott McTominay and Fred, they need a long-term replacement for the ageing Nemanja Matic. Pogba, in addition, has been linked with an exit from Old Trafford.
Valverde’s box to box qualities and an overall urgency to win back possession for his side are tailor-made characteristics for anyone playing in the Premier League. It could not only make Man United much stronger in the second line of press but also help the player quickly establish himself at Old Trafford.
Unfortunately, convincing Real Madrid to offload one of their star players could be a big ask, especially considering the current status of the market which has made it difficult for big clubs to sign too many stars. Los Blancos, therefore, might not even entertain the idea of cashing in on Valverde, especially with Dani Ceballos likely to leave the Bernabeu.
