According to Italian website Tuttomercatoweb, Manchester United have a strong interest in signing Atalanta defender Giorgio Scalvini.
Man United currently have Raphael Varane, Lisandro Martinez, Harry Maguire, Victor Lindelof and Jonny Evans as their central defensive choices. However, Varane and Martinez are injured at the moment, and the latter could be out of action for several months due to a foot surgery.
It is unclear whether United will have the funds to spend in January, but they could invest big next summer. Tuttomercatoweb report that Napoli were keen on landing Scalvini last summer, but were put off by the £43 million valuation. They add that Inter and Juventus also admire him a lot and there is also strong interest from United.
Possible deal
Varane and Martinez are the preferred centre-back partnership for manager Erik ten Hag. However, both have had injury troubles at the club. Varane has picked up several minor injuries and he was absent over the weekend. Martinez, on the other hand, has undergone a fresh foot surgery after failing to completely recovery from a metatarsal fracture.
United were after a marquee centre-back during the recent transfer window and they could invest on someone like Scalvini to bolster the squad. Scalvini is only 19 years of age, but has shown a lot of maturity. He is good with the ball at his feet but also possesses strong tackling skills and does not shy away from an aerial duel with his obvious height advantage.
He could be seen as a long-term replacement for Varane in the United squad. The former Real Madrid man has been hampered by injuries throughout his career and his injury proneness has only increased since his move to Old Trafford. Scalvini could start off as a back-up option before establishing himself as an important player under ten Hag.
The big question mark when it comes to Scalvini would be whether he would consider a move abroad. Many Italian stars prefer to continue their careers in Serie A rather than moving overseas. This would present Napoli, Inter and Juventus as possible transfer destinations for the highly-rated centre-back.
