Pranav Nair
Transfer News: Manchester United and Liverpool to battle it out for Leeds United starlet Charlie Cresswell
According to The Sun, Premier League giants, Manchester United and Liverpool are keeping tabs on Leeds United starlet Charlie Cresswell.
The England Under-21 starlet made his top-flight debut in September. He has since made six appearances for the Elland Road outfit and appears to fit right in at the top level.
The 19-year-old already has a long-term contract at the Yorkshire outfit and is a Leeds supporter himself. Given his willingness to stay put, Man United might need to pull out all stops to land him in the summer.
Cresswell is the son of former Leeds striker Richard, who represented the club between 2005-07. He is currently out injured and will only return to action in February. How it will impact his development once he returns remains to be seen.
A centre-back, the 19-year-old has age on his side to emerge as one of the fine English centre-backs in the league. Leeds are enduring a difficult 2021/22 campaign and look like a pale shadow of the side that took the league by storm last time around.
Marcelo Bielsa’s side is firmly entrenched in the relegation dogfight and might have decisions to make should they go down. Cresswell is among their top assets and if they were to go down this season, it may be a task to convince their star players to play in the Championship.
A recurring problem
Man United went big to land Raphael Varane last summer. The Frenchman’s arrival has done little to improve what continues to be a shaky backline. Harry Maguire, Victor Lindelof and Eric Bailly all offer Ralf Rangnick options, but none of them has managed to help solidify the porous rearguard.
Expecting Cresswell to come in and change our fortunes would be akin to idealism. However, landing the 19-year-old could give the Red Devils a young prospect they can mould into a future first-teamer.
With the asking price going for a toss when it comes to British talent, it is imperative that Man United make their move to land prospects before they have struck it rich. With United regularly competition for titles on several fronts every season, it’s not like Cresswell would not get any chances to make his impression at Old Trafford if he joins us.
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Cresswell has the attributes needed to become a leading player in the future. Man United will do well to land him now rather a few years down the line when he could see his valuation potentially increase. Joining the Red Devils from Leeds, one of our three biggest rivals, is no easy task.
But if Cresswell does so, he wouldn’t be the first one. Eric Cantona, Rio Ferdinand, and Alan Smith are three of the most famous names to swap Leeds white for Manchester United red in the past.
