da betobet： [ad_pod ]
da 888： This article is part of Football FanCast’s Transfer Focus series, which provides opinion and analysis on recent transfer news…
According to Italian publication Milan News 24, Manchester United are ready to rival Serie A giants Milan for the signature of Stuttgart defender Ozan Kabak.
What’s the word?
The report claims United’s representatives are expected to meet with the centre-back’s entourage in order to make him an offer comparable to the one already put on the table by Milan.
Watch a Man Utd fan’s epic Ed Woodward rant in the video below…
German outlet Kicker further reported that along with the Red Devils, Premier League rivals West Ham are also in the running to sign the 19-year-old.
Culture fit
Reports in recent weeks have suggested that Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s side are firmly in the race to sign Leicester and England powerhouse Harry Maguire, and there have been claims that the Foxes will demand around £90m to part ways with their star man.
Now, Maguire has proven himself to be an excellent centre-back in the Premier League and has delivered some very impressive performances. But paying what would be a world record fee for a defender for him? United have been riddled with constant issues of overpaying for players both in the transfer fee involved and the wages it takes to keep them there.
The pressure of a price tag can often be a huge burden – just look at how Paul Pogba and Alexis Sanchez have performed at Old Trafford. But in Kabak, United could snare a highly-rated prospect for far cheaper and arguably with a whole load of room for improvement.
Watch Manchester United Live Streams With StreamFootball.tv Below
Indeed, Stuttgart’s sporting director and former Aston Villa midfielder Thomas Hitzlsperger seems to think he’s a born leader, saying: “It’s incredible how worldy-wise he is for his age. It’s astonishing. I see him every day and am amazed at how he mature he is. He wants to know everything; he wants to learn German right away and understand everything. That’s the kind of attitude we need. He’s already a role model, despite his age.”
One of the biggest issues for United is the culture in the dressing room, where flamboyant characters and personalities have not proven to be willing to place everything on the line for the cause. In his 15 appearances in the Bundesliga last season, Kabak embraced the relegation dogfight his side were in and stepped up to the plate with three goals from centre-back.
So whilst Maguire might be the more glamorous name, Kabak’s presence both on and off the pitch could crucially make him the right fit at the right time for United this summer.