Good News – €27m Rated CB Open To Manchester United Move
Although the 2014/2015 season hasn’t ended, this has not stopped clubs from getting linked to different players. Manchester United is definitely not an exception as the club has been reportedly monitoring Atletico Madrid’s João Miranda. Miranda who plays as a central defender for the Spainish club has been constantly linked to a move to Manchester United and with the next transfer window few months away, the rumours are intensifying.
Miranda is an experienced and highly respected player, he plays a major role in the defence department of the Atlético Madrid partnering with Diego Godin in the central. Although the player still have over a year on his contract, Jose Gimenez has been bought by the club and he is seen as the long term replacement for Miranda in the current Atlético Madrid side. This has further fuelled speculations about the Brazilian’s future. It is believe Atletico already know the player will leave and want to strengthen their own position by buying Jose Gimenez in advance.
According to media reports in both England and Spain, Manchester United have been interested in the player since last summer and are going to make another attempt to sign the defender to solve their shortage of centre back come the summer transfer window.
New reports has it that United manager Louis Van Gaal is ready to pay as much as €27m to acquire the services of the high rated centre back. To further fuel the rumours, the player himself was quoted to have said;
“Of course this news reaches me, and it makes me happy. It shows I am doing well,”
“It makes me proud, but my intention is to stay at Atletico because I still have a year and a half on my contract.”
Although Manchester United could do with an experienced centre back in the summer, at the reported €27m price target, signing Miranda who is 30 years of age will make no sense. The chances of the player coping with the pace of premier league due to his age is extremely very small. United would do better to go for a player who is younger though not necessarily cheaper since at the current market, getting a reliable centre back for less than €25m is almost impossible.
Not taking anything away from Miranda, but what United needs right now is someone who is young and is very likely to be around for 4-6 years. This person is definitely not Miranda. I think by all means United should sign Mats Hummels in the summer. He has big stage experience, quite young and just a little more expensive than Miranda and is likely to command the same in wages.