Premier League giants Manchester United have received a boost in their pursuit of Atletico Madrid defender Diego Godin. Reports from Spanish news outfit Marca claim that Godin is yet to agree personal terms with the Spanish outfit, to extend his contract, that runs down at the end of the current season.
Marca also suggested that Manchester United had an offer rejected for Godin at the fag end of the summer transfer window last year, so should they make one final push for the experienced defender?
Godin And His Quality:
Having joined Atletico Madrid back in 2010, Godin took no time to establish himself as a first-team star at the Spanish capital and has made 259 La Liga appearances till date. His best season for the club came in the 2013/14 campaign, where he helped his side to their first league title in over a decade.
He was also a part of the UEFA team of the season in three of the last five years and is easily one of the best defenders in the game at the moment. He has been exceptional this season as well, averaging 3.1 clearances, 1.7 tackles and 1.2 interceptions per game. Even at 32 years of age, he is showing great class in the Atleti backline and could be a huge coup for United.
Where Does He Fit In?
With Ole Gunnar Solskjaer now in charge of the squad at Old Trafford on an interim basis, it is hard to predict the future of the central defenders. Eric Bailly and Victor Lindelof have been impressive at times and should get their chance to impress under the new manager especially given the investment made on them and their age. Chris Smalling has been the most impressive of the lot and is likely to have a future at the club. But the fate of the likes of Phil Jones and Marcos Rojo is debatable in the long run.
This is what makes Godin a smart acquisition for the Red Devils. With just months left on his contract, he should not be too expensive, and a player of his quality will probably walk into the first team at Old Trafford. Godin could be an immediate solution to the defensive frailties that United have shown this season and he could also help add some experience and grit to this United squad, that is currently lacking some confidence.
The Uruguayan has 125 international caps and is one of the most experienced defenders around in the game. He is aggressive and does not shy away from the physical duels even inside the box. He loses his discipline at times but is a genuine match winner who United are in desperate need of, at the moment.
Make A Move Ole!
The report from Marca also states that Atleti may not be able to offer him the wages he was promised not so long ago. This has seen contract talks between the two parties become stagnant in recent weeks. He will be a free agent this summer and Los Rojiblancos would not want to lose him for free in such circumstances.
So, it will not hurt for United to try and pressurize the Spanish outfit into selling him at a cut-price fee this January. Under UEFA’s new rules, Godin will be available for selection even in the Champions League and his addition could certainly make this United side that much stronger.
At his age, he is not a long-term solution, but Godin is one of the very few players currently up for grabs that solves an impending issue at the Theatre of Dreams. However, United should move quickly to have any chance of getting this deal over the line.
Stats Courtesy: Whoscored