According to the latest reports, Premier League giants Manchester United are in the hunt to sign a high-quality defender and have recently lined up a potential move for AS Roma’s Kostas Manolas in the upcoming summer transfer window. However, there are certain issues that pertain to the Greek central defender and there are questions over whether United should make a bid for him or not?
Manchester United fans have not been used to having the kind of season they are going through at the moment. The Red Devils initially began their season with Portuguese manager Jose Mourinho in charge of the club but he seemed very cantankerous after not getting his transfer targets in the summer. The 56-year-old then instilled a very defensive philosophy into the club and his defensive tactics were something that the United faithful were not used to seeing from their team. With dire football and no positive results to show for it, the writing was on the wall for the ‘Special One’. A 3-1 humiliation at the hands of fierce rivals Liverpool back in December was the final nail in the coffin for Mourinho and he was then fired just a few days later.
The Red Devils then turned to a familiar face in the form of Ole Gunnar Solskjaer to stabilize the ship at least until the end of the season but the Norwegian has exceeded expectations since being appointed as caretaker of the club. There is now a positive air and atmosphere around Old Trafford at the moment and Solskjaer is the reason behind it as he has got United into the quarter-finals of the Champions League. United completed a dramatic comeback against Ligue 1 giants Paris Saint Germain after a 2-0 deficit at Old Trafford only to win 3-1 at the Parce des Princes and progress through to the next stage. The Red Devils are also in the hunt to finish in the top four this season as they currently sit in fifth place in the league table, just two points behind fourth-placed Arsenal.
However, Solskjaer is aware that if United are to win silverware in the near future he needs to re-enforce his side and if he remains manager next term, he will have to authorize his deals. One player who has been linked with United off-late is Greek centre-back Kostas Manolas as he has been tipped to leave the Stadio Olimpico in the summer transfer window after AS Roma didn’t qualify for the Champions League.
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There is no denying that Manolas is one of the best centre-backs in world football at the moment but there are some negative effects of signing the 27-year-old defender. Manolas has been injury prone recently and United already have issues with injuries mounting up under Solskjaer. Furthermore, Phil Jones recently signed a contract extension with United which will keep him at the club until 2023 and there is already a surplus of defenders at Old Trafford. Manolas will be eager to play for the first team but those positions are being filled well by Smalling and Victor Lindelof at the moment. However, if United want to lure Manolas to the Theater Of Dreams from the Italian capital, it will set them back £30m.
