Manchester United are free to sign Nicolas Gaitan after Benfica completed the transfer of Adel Taarabt, reports the Metro.
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The Primeira Liga side announced on Friday that they had signed the Morocco international after QPR agreed to mutually terminate the midfielder’s contract, according to the BBC. Taarabt, while not quite as talented, or at least as regularly consistent as his new teammate, can serve the Lisbon giants in much the same capacity as the Argentine.
His arrival could well be considered as evidence that Benfica are planning for Gaitan’s eventual departure from the Estadio da Luz.
The Lisbon-based side are far more likely to allow the 27-year-old to leave as a result of Taarabt’s arrival, and the Red Devils have been heavily linked. Just last week Gianluca DiMarzio reported that United had already agreed a deal with the player, and were negotiating a fee with Benfica.
With fellow winger Nani being linked by talkSPORT with a move away from Old Trafford to Fenerbahce, this move could be a more urgent matter for Louis van Gaal and Ed Woodward.
However, even though the Portuguese international was sent out on loan last season, with Adnan Januzaj being linked with a departure by the Daily Telegraph and even Angel Di Maria possibly leaving according to the Daily Express there could be a shortage of wide men at the club.
They have already brought in Memphis Depay, but Champions League qualification risks stretching van Gaal’s squad to the limit, and the Dutchman will be keen to get more bodies into the club over the coming months.
Gaitan can play on either wing and in a central attacking position, so could be a perfect solution for the Red Devils.
The prospect of the Argentine star arriving at the club could also be enticing to manager van Gaal, who said he prefers ‘multi-functional’ players in a report from the Daily Mirror. This could be why the 63-year-old is keen on the midfielder despite him scoring just four goals in 27 Primeira Liga matches last season.