Man Utd are reportedly ready to fend off interest from Barcelona and Paris Saint-Germain as Ole Gunnar Solskjaer is said to be eager to keep Diogo Dalot at Old Trafford.
The 21-year-old has played a limited role so far this season as he has been restricted to just 10 appearances across all competitions.
With Aaron Wan-Bissaka solidifying his place as first-choice at right-back and with Luke Shaw and Brandon Williams competing for the left-back spot, it has led to a lack of playing time for Dalot who has also spent most of the campaign on the sidelines due to injury.
Since joining the Red Devils in 2018, the Portuguese ace has made just 33 appearances, and so while it will have been frustrating for him not to have made a bigger impact, he surely must still hope to get back to full fitness and compete for a starting berth before potentially considering an exit in the future if his situation doesn’t change.
Nevertheless, ESPN report that Man Utd boss Solskjaer wants him to stay at the club as it’s suggested that both Barcelona and PSG are monitoring his situation, but he is eager for him to remain and fight for his place instead of green lighting an exit.
That in itself should arguably tell United all they need to know about Dalot’s talent and potential given the calibre of the clubs said to be interested, and for a club hoping to compete on multiple fronts year in and year out moving forward, they will need quality depth and competition for places while Dalot’s versatility will also make him a useful part of the squad.
Time will tell if he can force his way into the side between now and the end of the season, but with Man Utd still hunting a top-four finish in the Premier League, the FA Cup and Europa League, Solskjaer may choose to rotate his squad and if Dalot is fit, he’ll surely be in line to get minutes along the way.
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“The greatest talent I ever coached was Ronaldo but at the same time he was the player who created the most problems for me in the dressing room. He used to throw parties and do everything. Once Van Nistelrooy said to me: ‘Coach, the dressing room smells like alcohol’.” – Fabio Capello. READ MORE…
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