Pranav Nair
Blow for Manchester United as Hakan Calhanoglu reaches AC Milan agreement
According to TDFichajes (h/t The Mirror), Manchester United have suffered a major blow in their pursuit of AC Milan midfielder Hakan Calhanoglu.
The 27-year-old Turkish international was in the final few months of his contract at the San Siro. There existed a real possibility that the Red Devils could land the player on a free transfer in the summer.
However, that has gone up in smoke. The player who appeared to be keen to move has since had a change of heart. He has now reached an agreement with Milan to extend his stay by another three years.
Calhanoglu was seen as a viable backup for star midfielder Bruno Fernandes last summer. At the very least, the 27-year-old would have added strength in depth to the United squad.
The midfielder moved to Milan in 2017 after making a name for himself in the Bundesliga with Bayer Leverkusen. Despite a few moments of brilliance, he has failed to make a lasting impression in Italy.
Calhanoglu caught the attention at Leverkusen as a mean set-piece taker adept at making effective use of the knuckleball. His competency even saw him being compared to the likes of Cristiano Ronaldo and Juninho Pernambucano.
The Red Devils are keen to bring in a new striker and a defender this summer. While they are key additions, we cannot afford to ignore the overdependence we have shown in Bruno Fernandes.
The Portuguese star leads the club’s scoring and assists charts this seasons and has often been our ace in the pack. As seen with Marcus Rashford, it can have a telling impact on his fitness if not addressed in time.
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With Calhanoglu out of the equation, United will do well to look elsewhere for a viable backup for Fernandes. After all, squad management is as important as recruitment.
