Bharath Rammr
Manchester United are increasingly linked with FC Porto forward Andre Silva, but they reportedly face stiff competition from the likes of Barcelona and Real Madrid. Both Spanish clubs do have an edge when it comes to signing Portuguese players, but Spanish newspaper Mundo Deportivo claims that United are hoping to get ahead in front due to the presence of a Portuguese boss, Jose Mourinho.
The 20-year-old’s contract with the Portuguese outfit runs until the summer of 2021. This leaves Porto with little hurry to sell the player, but they are bound to consider offers that are tempting. United have been paying extraordinary transfer fees in the last few years, and it would take a brave man to bet against the Red Devils from making an offer that Porto cannot refuse. Andre Silva has been one of the best players in Portuguese league by a considerable margin.
Moussa Marega, who is yet another Porto forward but on loan at Guimarães, is lead the table with 10 goals in the league. The 25-year-old has been somewhat of journeymen, and many see his current form as a temporary phenomenon. Silva, on the other hand, is seen as quality through and through. Still only 20, Silva has managed to break through into the Portuguese national team after making his debut in September.
Incredibly, he has already scored four goals in as many appearances for Portugal although they were against minnows Andorra and Faroe Islands.
One of the main problems that would come up in the pursuit of Andre Silva would be his contract. He signed the deal only in the summer, but the release clause of £52 million will make any club think twice about making the move. United are in desperate need of quality forwards amidst persisting rumours of Wayne Rooney’s departure.
Rooney has not been at his best for some time now, and he has been dropped to the bench in recent weeks by Mourinho. Zlatan Ibrahimovic may lead the line now, but he is largely seen as a stopgap solution at 35. It would leave United with Anthony Martial and Marcus Rashford as their main centre forwards. The former has struggled for goals even when playing from his favourite left-wing position, while many believe that Rashford is being wasted on the wings by Mourinho.
As Manchester United go from one bad week to another, transfer rumours linking the club with almost every talented youngster or an experienced leader grows. It remains to be seen if the club will make a significant investment in the January transfer window in order to spice up the squad. Mourinho recently complained about the lack of commitment and desire from his players, and it seemed to hint at the possibility of a squad overhaul.
