Manchester United Transfer News: Bryan Cristante Fuels Premier League Rumours

Atalanta midfielder and reported Manchester United transfer target Bryan Cristante has added to the speculation by talking up a move to the Premier League.

Speaking to La Gazzetta dello Sport (h/t Goal's Robin Bairner), the Italian believes he would be a good fit in England and also revealed there has been interest from Chelsea in the past:

"So many people tell me: 'The Premier League is the perfect place for you,' and I agree with them. It's physical, there's a lot of tackling and open football. I can really see myself there.

"I was told at the end of a youth tournament that there were some Chelsea scouts there to watch me.

"The Premier League was a dream then and it's still a dream now, just as I hope it will be a reality in future, although I don't know when.

"Everything has its right moment. It's one thing being attracted to a spell abroad when you are 19 years old, such as when I went to Benfica and realised I had to start all over again, but it's another when you are no longer a kid and have already made your mark."

Dave Thompson/Associated Press

Cristante is in the midst of a fine season with Atalanta, who are loaning him from Benfica and hold a €4 million option to make the deal permanent. There is some speculation in Italy the club from Bergamo will trigger that with an eye on selling him for a profit.

The 22-year-old has long been regarded as a top talent but was given limited opportunities upon graduating from AC Milan's academy. Benfica also haven't made full use of him, choosing to send him on loan for the past few seasons.

Those loans have greatly aided the youngster, though, and he was rewarded for his hard work with a first cap with the Italy national team in October.

Valerio Pennicino/Getty Images

Cristante is a classic attacking midfielder who can also be effective in a less advanced role, and Atalanta have used him at both positions. He has already rewarded them with six goals in Serie A so far and three in the UEFA Europa League, and he has a knack for scoring on the biggest stage. There was this perfect header against Juventus:

He also found the net in Saturday's win over former club Milan as part of another great showing, per FootballTalentScout:

"

Bryan Cristante vs AC Milan

80 minutes
1 goal
35 passes
77% pass accuracy
3 key passes
3 tackles won
1 interception
3 aerials won

Milan youth graduate with another superb performance. He is having a great season! pic.twitter.com/S05HWjPE1c

— FootballTalentScout (@FTalentScout) December 23, 2017"

While he still has tremendous room for growth, Cristante is already one of Italy's most productive players in his position. He's moved around a fair bit in his career, and another transfer seems likely.

Whether he will opt for a major club such as United is another matter. The youngster should understand the value of regular playing time better than most, and as talented as he is, he would likely be a rotation piece at Old Trafford at this time.

In terms of his development, he would probably be better off staying in Bergamo for a while, but a club such as Everton could also make sense. There's little doubt he has the quality to fit in, and the Toffees know him well―he scored twice at Goodison Park in a Europa League game in November.