Van Gaal instructs chiefs to sign Enzo Perez.
Manchester United manager Louis van Gaal may be preparing for this weekend’s crunch Premier League clash against Arsenal, but the Dutchman also has one eye on the January transfer window, with the Daily Star reporting that he has instructed Old Trafford chiefs to launch a bid to sign £23.5 million rated midfielder Enzo Perez from Portuguese champions Benfica.
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United were also linked with Perez in the summer, but with the fitness of Daley Blind and Michael Carrick having proved to be far from reliable so far this season, van Gaal could well hope that the Red Devils are more determined to secure the Argentine international this January.
A hard-working but creative central player, Perez has been one of the stand-out players for Jorge Jesus’ side during their recent trophy-winning form in Lisbon, but at 28 he is running out of time to prove that he is capable of making it in one of Europe’s major leagues.
With Benfica currently enduring some financial issues, however, they could well be willing to sell Perez when the transfer window reopens, meaning that the former Estudiantes and Godoy Cruz star could well be set to get his Premier League opportunity.