In order to significantly improve his attacking options, Erik ten Hag is said to be interested in signing Juventus winger Federico Chiesa this summer.
With the Premier League season beginning in just over three weeks, the Old Trafford team will only have acquired Mason Mount during the current transfer window, and the Dutchman won’t have much time to add a few more players.
Does Federico Chiesa pique the interest of Manchester United?
United are the most recent team to express interest in the Juventus winger, claims Italian outlet Corriere dello Sport (via Sport Witness).
Liverpool and Newcastle United will be Ten Hag’s main rivals for Chiesa, but with Champions League play at Old Trafford next season, it might be just the thing to entice him to Manchester.
The 25-year-old genius ‘can leave’ Italy if the Serie A club receives a bid of €50 million (£43 million), and the Red Devils might be enticed to make a bid in the upcoming weeks.
Federico Chiesa: How good is he?
Chiesa was in line to become the next big thing in Italian football before he suffered a serious ACL injury in January 2022, especially after his performances for Fiorentina and the national team.
The left-winger made his debut in the 2016–17 campaign and contributed to 59 goals—34 goals and 25 assists—over the course of just 153 games before joining the Old Lady in 2021.
When he scored twice for Italy during Euro 2021, he played a crucial part in them winning their first European Championship since 1968. It also seemed like he was about to take off and become one of Italy’s best players.
Although Chiesa only managed four goals and six assists last season after returning to play from injury, he could still be an improvement over current United left-winger Jadon Sancho, who has struggled during his time at the club.
With only 12 goals and six assists in two seasons at the club, the former Borussia Dortmund starlet has failed to live up to the £73 million price tag that United paid for him.
Sancho had a promising start to the previous season, but he struggled with his physical and mental health, which prevented him from earning a spot in the England team for the 2022 World Cup.
Even though Chiesa struggled last season, he still outperformed Sancho in terms of shots per 90 (2.75), goal-creating actions (0.63), and take-on success (53.3% to 42.3%). Although he didn’t score as many league goals as the Englishman (six to two), it appears that Chiesa posed a greater attacking threat in terms of total shots and his ability to take on defenders.
Chiesa, who was once referred to as a “diamond” by U23 scout Antonio Mango, had more league assists than the 23-year-old (five to three) and missed fewer big chances (one to two), indicating that he can open up more opportunities for his teammates. There is no doubt that if he regains his pre-injury form, he could be a better option than Sancho next season if he stays healthy.
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