Pranav Nair
Manchester United to battle Manchester City for Ismael Bennacer
According to Actu Foot and La Source Parisienne (h/t Daily Mail), Manchester United are set to rival arch-rivals Manchester City for AC Milan midfielder Ismael Bennacer.
The Algerian who came through the youth system at Aries, spent two years at Arsenal before moving to Italy. Now at AC Milan, he has made 23 appearances this season. (h/t Transfermarkt)
The 22-year-old is also attracting attention from French giants PSG. He has a release clause worth £45million.
The French champions had previously tabled bids worth about £27million. However, all their efforts had been rebuffed.
Capable of playing in a variety of positions, he played a key role in his country’s Africa Cup of Nations triumph last summer. His performances saw him win the Player of the Tournament award.
City are keen on bringing him to the Etihad. Manager Pep Guardiola has also spoken to him over the phone in order to convince him.
With Milan now a far cry from the dominant force they once were, United are keen to tempt him to Old Trafford. The Red Devils have progressed well under Ole Gunnar Solskjaer. Bennacer now has the opportunity to join our rise back to the top.
A technically adept player, he is known for his speed, vision, intelligence, passing, and technique. Another key trait he possesses is his ability to transition from defence into attack.
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Having played as both a deep-lying player and as a holding midfielder. He would bring a lot of options to the United midfield. Bennacer also played a key tole in Empoli’s promotion to Serie A in 2018.
Whether United will continue to pursue him or not remains to be seen.
