The words of respected German journalist Christian Falk were too good to ignore.
Surely they would force someone at Manchester United to consider the prospect of landing a very accomplished midfielder after interest in Jack Grealish cooled, as per Sky Sports.
The Independent hinted that Grealish was keen on a move to Old Trafford despite being made aware that he wouldn’t be a regular starter. We’re coming up in the world again!
But that doesn’t change the fact Aston Villa, with their Premier League status still active, will demand a hefty transfer fee for his signature. Not only is he their caption, he’s their biggest asset.
According to The Sun, Solskjaer has been handed a £140m transfer kitty and wants Borussia Dortmund’s Jadon Sancho as well as two other players. It wouldn’t make sense to take up a large chunk of that budget, which already looks strained with United going for Sancho, on a squad player.
BILD reporter Falk claims are open to the idea of selling Thiago Alcantara this summer for €30m.
Alarm!! 🚨
Our Story: The Bosses of @fcbayern have decided that Thiago will be allowed to leave with an offer of at least 30 Mio Euros. TRUE: there is no offer yet @SPORTBILD @altobelli13
— Christian Falk (@cfbayern) July 29, 2020
Our Story: internal decision! The further squad planning of FC Bayern depends on sales such as Thiago or Corentin Tolisso. Bayern only wants to buy players if others have been sold before. Head-Coach Hansi Flick wants a fourth winger @SPORTBILD
— Christian Falk (@cfbayern) July 29, 2020
Despite Thiago’s fitness issues, he’s been really important for Bayern Munich this season.
The Span international made 24 appearances this season scoring 3 goals, with 2 assists, and a pass accuracy rate of 90%.
Even at €30m, Thiago is a gem. We would be foolish to let him slip through our fingers.
A perfect addition to the squad on a rotational basis. He’d get plenty of games and Solskjaer is looking for players comfortable with the ball at their feet who can unlock teams with creativity.
I think he would work very well in the same midfield as Bruno Fernandes, and it goes without saying he’d be a massive upgrade on Juan Mata and Jesse Lingard — as well as being a greater all-rounder.
While there are some limitations in Thiago’s game due to his size, he showcases a degree of strength in battles on the pitch and faces up to bigger opponents. Being versatile he’s played as a number 10 before evolving into an excellent 6 (either alone or with a partner).
A deep-lying playmaker would suit Solskjaer’s system given how he scans the field before asking for the ball, aware of where his nearest opponent is, before starting a transition. We need a progressive distributor of the ball who can play all types of passes. Someone brave enough to play quick combinations in tight spaces when higher up the pitch, and accurate enough to play at a high or low tempo.
Thiago is good at intercepting passes and recovering possession – but could he do that job to the same affect in Nemanja Matic’s role?
Still one of the best midfielders in modern football, I think this is a good opportunity for United to sign a top player at a very reasonable price for next season.
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