Manchester United are interested in signing Atalanta defender Cristian Romero, as is reported by Sky Sports. The Argentine centre-back is currently on-loan from Juventus, and Atalanta have an obligation to buy him for €25 million. However, they are willing to sell him on immediately, should they receive an offer of €40 million.
Cristian Romero: Manchester United Looking at Atalanta Centre-Back
Who is Cristian Romero?
Romero began his career with Belgrano, in the Argentine Primera Division. He made 19 appearances for the club, before joining Genoa in 2018, at the age of 20. Despite finishing 17th in Serie A that season, Romero impressed and earned himself a move to Juventus the following season, for a fee of around £23.5 million.
Romero was immediately loaned back to Genoa for the 2019/20 season, before earning himself a loan move to Atalanta for the current season. He has become a regular of the ever-improving Atalanta team, who sit second in Serie A. Romero’s performances have not gone unnoticed, as Atalanta are on the verge on playing Champions League football for the third consecutive season.
How Romero Would Improve Manchester United
It has been an impressive season for Man United. Like Atalanta, they are second in the league, and have secured Champions League football for next season. The Red Devils are also in the final of the Europa League; only Villarreal stand in Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s way, as he looks to achieve his first piece of managerial silverware for the club.
Harry Maguire has had another fine season for the club, continuing to be a rock at the back. There remain question marks over the quality of his respective centre-back partners though. Victor Lindelof has been an adequate partner for the last few seasons, whilst Eric Bailly’s persistent injuries make him an unreliable back-up. Given that their attack has taken shape nicely, attention naturally turns to improving the back line.
Cristian Romero is a player who enjoys the defensive side of the game. No-one in Serie A has made more interceptions than him this season, and he also makes a healthy 2.2 tackles per game. In fact, he is the highest rated centre-back in Serie A this season based on WhoScored ratings. These defensive instincts would see him fit in well with Man United’s aggressive nature. Romero is also a ball-playing centre-back, and should fit into United’s possession style of play naturally.
At 6’1″, Romero carries a good physical presence about him. Corners and set pieces are crucial in the Premier League, both when defending and attacking. A partnership of Maguire and Romero could see Man United become a fearful threat at corners, whilst simultaneously reducing the number of goals conceded from set plays.
Other Centre-Back Options
Man United may have their sights set firmly on Romero, but there are other options should they miss out. Sevilla’s Jules Kounde is another name on their shortlist. The 22-year-old has impressed for Sevilla this season, helping them to 15 clean sheets in La Liga. However, with a market value of £54 million, he represents a more expensive option for the Red Devils.
Lille’s Sven Botman is another option on United’s radar. Lille need four points from their remaining two games to be crowned Ligue 1 champions. Botman has been at the heart of their defence, missing just one league game. However they will face stiff competition from Liverpool, who are also interested in the Dutch centre-back.
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