[ad_pod ]
This article is part of Football FanCast’s Transfer Focus series, which provides opinion and analysis on recent transfer news…
According to Sky Sports, Manchester United have reopened talks with Juventus over the signing of Mario Mandzukic with just hours to go until the transfer deadline.
What’s the word, then?
Well, the Red Devils were originally in contact with the Italian champions over a potential swap deal involving Romelu Lukaku and Paulo Dybala, although that deal eventually broke down.
However, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s United have once again made contact with the Turin-based side, this time over a deal for the 33-year-old forward who netted nine goals and recorded six assists in Serie A last season.
The Croatia international is believed to be seen as Romelu Lukaku’s replacement, with the Belgian currently in Milan for a medical ahead of a move to Inter – a fee of £73m has been agreed with Antonio Conte’s side for the 26-year-old.
Signing Mandzukic goes against what Solskjaer wants
One line from a specific report by the BBC at the end of July read as follows: “Solskjaer wants a squad of younger, motivated players – very much in keeping with how Sir Alex Ferguson managed.”
So, with that nugget of information in mind, how does signing a 33-year-old to replace a 26-year-old striker stay in keeping with what Solskjaer wants?
Up until now, it seems as if that policy had been strictly kept to with the arrivals of Harry Maguire, Aaron Wan-Bissaka and Dan James.
All three are 26, 21 and 21 respectively, and represent the start of a youthful overhaul in the Solskjaer era.
Those signings are the type of player the Norwegian wants at Old Trafford. Not a washed-up-and-wrong-side-of-30 has been such as Mandzukic.
If Ed Woodward goes ahead and completes this deal, it would seem especially strange from the Red Devils.
It would be a deal that, whilst not necessarily undoing all of their good recruitment this summer, would completely contrast the type of character they have already brought to the club as well as contrasting the vision Solskjaer has for his squad.
[ad_pod ]
