Manchester United are in a battle with Arsenal and Chelsea over the transfer of Atalanta right-back Marco Palestra, according to Ekrem Konur.
The Italian, who is on loan at Cagliari, has established himself as one of the most exciting fullbacks in Serie A this season.
Initially joining to add depth, the youngster has cemented himself in Fabio Pisacane’s side this season, becoming a key player in their relegation fight, where they currently sit two points above 18th-place Hellas Verona in the Serie A table.
During the previous campaign, brief cameos with Atalanta’s senior side offered flashes of his ability. Yet, the club ultimately opted for a temporary loan move to gain more playing time, given the presence of already established right-wing back options like Davide Zappacosta and Raoul Bellanova.
Now with Cagliari, Palestra is pushing a strong claim for a spot in Atalanta’s first team next season, with reputable performances in his ongoing loan spell at Cagliari, where he has featured in 14 of the Rossoblù’s 15 Serie A games this season.
It appears the youngster will have several first-team options to feature next season aside from his parent club, as Konur reports that Man Utd have entered the race to sign the 20-year-old.
Natural wing-back
While Atalanta are keen on retaining him at the club, the Italy U21 international’s value continues to rise towards £26-30m, according to the report, a fee that should be well within the Red Devils’ reach.
However, the report adds that Premier League rivals Chelsea and Arsenal are set to battle with United for the Italian’s signature, while other top European clubs, including Inter Milan, Juventus, AC Milan, Napoli, Barcelona, Bayern Munich and Atletico Madrid, are also in the race.
Ruben Amorim has utilised Diogo Dalot, Noussair Mazraoui, Patrick Dorgu, and, on occasions, Amad Diallo as wing-backs in his setup this season. Yet the trio have struggled to maintain consistent performance in both attacking and defensive phases of the game, with Diallo the only attacking wing-back threat.
Should a European qualification be secured next season, strengthening both wing-back areas becomes necessary, and Palestra, who has amassed significant experience at wing-back, would be a viable option for the manager, providing a natural fit accustomed to the demands of the role.
