Manchester United now rivalled by Bundesliga side for talented midfielder.
Check in to West Bromwich Albion vs Manchester United
Manchester United are facing competition in the race to sign Benfica midfielder Nicolas Gaitan this summer, according to The Express.
The 25-year-old has been one of the Portuguese giants stand out performers this term, forcing a number of clubs across Europe to go in for a closer look. It has been thought that Manchester United are one of the frontrunners to sign him after he caught the eye during a scouting trip to watch his teammate Ezequiel Garay.
However, United now face competition from the Bundesliga as Bayer Leverkusen are also said to be interested and will look to mount a serious challenge to make sure he ends up with a one way ticket to Germany.
Leverkusen are said to be lining up a replacement for the outbound Andre Schurrle and United are thought to be looking to fill the void left by veteran midfielder Paul Scholes who has now retired for the second and final time.
Gaitan joined Benfica from Argentinian giants Boca Juniors in 2010 and has gone on to make 130 appearances during his time in Portugal, scoring 17 goals and wracking up 36 assists in the process.
A fee on £17 million is thought to be enough to prize him away and he is expected to be a key performer in the club’s Europa League final encounter with Chelsea on Wednesday.