Aheed Abrar
Manchester United not interested in signing AC Milan and Portugal star Rafael Leao in January
Manchester United are not interested in signing AC Milan and Portugal star Rafael Leao in the January transfer window, according to Sky Sports journalist Florian Plettenberg (h/t Manchester Evening News).
The Red Devils are not focusing on bringing the 23-year-old to Old Trafford in the winter. Instead, the Manchester-based club are looking to bolster the number nine position after Cristiano Ronaldo’s exit.
United parted ways with the 37-year-old recently. As a result, Erik ten Hag’s options up front have dwindled. We already seemingly had a shortage of strikers in the squad. The five-time Ballon d’Or winner’s departure has only exacerbated the issue.
Anthony Martial is the only natural centre-forward in the squad at the moment. However, injuries have been an issue for the French national. The former AS Monaco star has mostly been on the sideline this season.
With the 26-year-old unavailable, the Dutch manager has turned to Marcus Rashfird to lead the line. The 25-year-old has done well in the current campaign. He is currently the club’s leading goalscorer this term, with eight goals in all competitions.
However, some fans have concerns about the long-term viability of the England international. The forward is essentially a winger and his finishing leaves a lot to be desired.
Thus, the Old Trafford side evidently need someone with a keen eye for goal. However, Leao is not an out-and-out striker. The Portuguese mostly plays out wide, on the left wing.
The 23-year-old joined the Rossoneri in the summer of 2019 from LOSC Lille. It took the youngster a bit of time to settle in at Milan. However, he broke out last season and has continued his form in the current campaign.
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Leao is a quality player and still has the potential to become better. However, right now, United’s priorities are different – at least that’s what the fans will hope for. We would rather invest that money in a centre-forward.
