Red Devils ‘very close’ to bringing in La Liga man.
SEE ALSO:
[Image] Man Utd star David de Gea in Real Madrid kit launch photo
Gomez Arsenal: Competition with Liverpool to complete £8m signing
Manchester United news
Manchester United are reportedly closing in on the signing of Atletico Madrid striker Mario Mandzukic, according to the Daily Star, who cite sources on the continent.
The Croatian international has only been at the Vicente Calderon for one season, scoring 20 goals since signing from Bayern Munich, but looks to be on his way out of the club quickly due to strong interest from Louis van Gaal, the Star claims.
Mandzukic has been a consistent performer at the top level for a number of years now, helping Bayern Munich to a treble win in 2012/13 with a goal in the Champions League final win over Borussia Dortmund at Wembley, as well as a number of key performances leading the line for the Bavarian giants.
The addition of the 29-year-old at Old Trafford looks a smart one for Van Gaal, who needs to improve his attacking options after such a poor season from Radamel Falcao in 2014/15, with the on-loan AS Monaco man only managing four goals in all competitions, while Robin van Persie was also below-par with just ten strikes in total.
Mandzukic is a physical player who should adapt well to the demands of the game in England, so it makes sense that United are looking at him as a serious option, if these rumours are to be believed.
The Star also quotes former Croatian international Milan Rapaic, who seems convinced his fellow countryman is very close to joining United this summer.
“He’s perfect for any team in any European league,” Rapaic said.
“It appears to me that he’s very close to Manchester United.”
Although it is not clear why Rapaic has this view, it could be that, as an ex-professional, he has contacts within the game that have kept him in the loop regarding this particular transfer saga.