Man Utd Agree Deal To Sign South American Playmaker

Manchester United have agreed a deal to sign Nicolas Gaitan from Benfica, according to the Telegraph.

The report claims that United have agreed a £20m fee for the midfielder, with both Fabio da Silva and Federico Macheda moving to Benfica as part of the deal. It’s suggested that da Silva will only leave Old Trafford on a season long loan, while Macheda’s move will be a permanent one.

The Telegraph say that the deal will not be officially announced until the end of the season, and despite Gaitan having a £38m release clause in his contract, Sir Alex Ferguson has managed to negotiate a £20m fee for the player due to the inclusion of da Silva and Macheda.

Gaitan has been strongly linked with a move to Old Trafford for months now and it was widely expected that Fergie would make his move in the summer. But if this report is accurate, then the Scot has decided to tie things up early to avoid a potential bidding war.

The 24-year-old Argentina international is predominantly a playmaker who plays in a central midfield role but can also play on the left, and has been in outstanding form for Benfica this year. He was hugely impressive during ties with both United and Chelsea in this seasons Champions League, which no doubt went a long way in persuading Ferguson that he could cut it in the Premier League.

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