Manchester United Transfer News: Latest Matteo Darmian, Renato Sanches Rumours
Inter Milan reportedly still want to sign Manchester United full-back Matteo Darmian. New Nerazzurri boss Stefano Pioli is apparently keen to acquire the Italy international in the January transfer window.
The report comes from Italian publication Gazzetta dello Sport (h/t Goal). Those sources note how the versatile defender has made a mere two starts in the Premier League this season on United manager Jose Mourinho's watch.
Other Italian sources have also fuelled this rumour, with Mediaset Premium (h/t Uche Amako of the Daily Express) reporting Inter have put forward a proposal to the Old Trafford club.
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Rumours of a fractured relationship between Darmian and Mourinho have raged for months. Back in September, Italian source Tuttosport (h/t Samuel Lovett of The Independent) indicated there's been a "complete breakdown" between player and manager.
However, Darmian has recently played down suggestions Mourinho is ready to let him leave the red half of Manchester. He told Sky in Italy (h/t Calciomercato, via Alex Porter of the Manchester Evening News) he's paying no attention to such talk.
It would make sense for the Red Devils to keep Darmian, especially since Antonio Valencia is recovering from a broken arm. Darmian has the engine and quality in forward areas to offer what converted winger Valencia gives United in an attacking sense.
Yet Mourinho has so far resisted giving 26-year-old former Torino man Darmian sufficient chances to showcase those qualities. A true indicator of how he values Darmian should come after the international break.
United face Arsenal in their next Premier League match, and if Valencia still isn't ready to play, Mourinho will have a choice to make. If he starts Darmian, it will be a show of trust in the player for what's a big and vital game.
However, if the Italian is still left out, Inter and Pioli will surely fancy their chances of signing the full-back this winter.
Rio Ferdinand Rues Renato Sanches Miss
Decorated former United centre-back Rio Ferdinand regrets how his old club failed to sign Portuguese teenage midfield powerhouse Renato Sanches this summer. The Red Devils were heavily linked with the ex-Benfica star, but Bayern Munich ultimately signed the gifted 19-year-old.
Ferdinand told Portuguese publication A Bola (h/t MailOnline's Ben Grounds) he believes his old team should have done more to seal a deal for Sanches: "If I was a Man United scout, Renato Sanches would already be at the club. I'd have dragged him by his hair and said 'let's go'"
Ferdinand also indicated why he rates Sanches so highly: "Renato is a modern player: Aggressive, strong, powerful, got technique, can shoot and pass. I like him. He's young, but takes responsibility."
Sanches is indeed all those things. He's a natural talisman in the middle, something United have needed for a long time.
It's one reason why the Reds were so interested in the player. However, Julien Laurens of Le Parisien detailed how extensively United researched a possible deal:
That level of scouting implies United officials had trouble making up their minds about Sanches. Yet Samuel Luckhurst of the Manchester Evening News offered another reason United missed out:
At the time, United were about to dismiss Louis van Gaal, with Mourinho lined up take over. Ultimately, Mourinho and United opted to spend a world-record fee to bring Paul Pogba back to Old Trafford instead.
Meanwhile, Bayern paid an initial £27.5 million for Sanches. If Pogba lives up to his lavish fee, United are unlikely to regret missing out on Sanches, even though the latter looks destined for stardom in his own right.
By the same thinking, if Mourinho doesn't trust Darmian, he should welcome the interest from Inter.
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