Sridhar Bhamidi
As Manchester United get ready for a crunch Premier League game against Liverpool this weekend, the rumour mills are abuzz with news that there could be a bid for a defender in the January transfer window.
Danny Rose is not a new name for the Red Devils’ fans, with the Tottenham Hotspur defender constantly and consistently linked. The latest reports in The Sun indicate that Manchester United are ready to make a £50m bid to sign the English left-back.
The England international is currently sidelined due to a knee injury suffered in January. He has recently returned to training and is ready to challenge Ben Davies to get his first-team spot back.
With six weeks until the winter transfer window to open, it looks likely that United manager Jose Mourinho will have enough inputs on how Rose’s injury has healed and if he can pick up his old form.
Mourinho has a number of options on the left-hand side with Ashley Young, Daley Blind, and Matteo Darmian all having been used by the manager. He has a natural left-back choice available in the squad – Luke Shaw, but Mourinho does not seem to trust the player.
Let’s not get into why Mourinho wouldn’t use Shaw because that’s a discussion for some other day. Rose will not be a cheap option because Tottenham may ask upwards of £50m for the 27-year-old. Although the player is reportedly interested in a move to Old Trafford, negotiating with Spurs chairman Daniel Levy is never a straightforward affair.
Tottenham are in no rush to sell, as the player has four more years on his deal. They also have a ready-made replacement in the form of Davies, who has started the season brightly. So, it will have to be United who must do all the running.
Rose is certainly a player who fits Mourinho’s team perfectly – deadly in the final third, combative at the back and experience in the Premier League. Chelsea are also looking at his situation closely although United have been reported to be in pole position.
Will Mourinho go for Danny Rose and shut the doors on Luke Shaw’s Manchester United career? Only time will tell!
