Manchester United are interested in signing Napoli fullback Elseid Hysaj, who has two more years left on his contract at the San Paolo Stadium.
According to a report from CN24, there are advanced talks going on between the Red Devils and Hysaj’s agent. United are believed to be ready to offer a transfer fee in the region of €25m to poach the Albanian International away from Naples.
Hysaj was one of Maurizio Sarri’s main men in the Napoli dressing room but saw his minutes cut down last season under another Italian in Carlo Ancelotti. He managed only 35 appearances for Napoli across all competitions and is now seeking a move away from the club.
The 25-year-old also garnered interest from other big European clubs in Atletico Madrid and Juventus, the latter looking more likely after Sarri’s arrival at the Allianz Stadium.
Right move by Ole?
The Albanian international is a versatile player who predominantly features in the right-back position and possesses the ability to switch to either flank in defence. His vision, discipline and awareness on a football pitch remain unparalleled to most fullbacks out there.
An attack-minded fullback who likes to maraud forward providing width to his team, he managed an average of 85.6% passing accuracy.
His first touch to create space for himself, to pick the right pass and his ability to hold on to the ball under pressure remains some of his key features which pose a threat to the opposition.
However, he needs to work on his crossing on the training ground. The 25-year-old averaged a poor 0.2 crosses per game, which is not healthy for a fullback in the modern era.
The 25-year-old stands at 6ft tall and is known for his strength and aerial prowess which is another positive for a player signing up for a Premier League club- Hysaj managed an average of 1.0 aerial duels won per game.
The Napoli fullback strikes a much-needed balance in his style of play- no matter how much he likes to move up the field, he tracks back to perform his defensive duties with the same zeal and energy.
Hysaj has managed an average of 1.5 tackles and 1.0 interception per 90 minutes, which has been useful in shutting down the opposition counter-attacks on numerous occasions.
Manchester United boss Ole Gunnar Solskjaer is leading the charge to revamp the squad this summer. Solskjaer has been flexible in his approach so far in his managerial stint at Old Trafford fielding different formations depending upon the opposition and personnel available to him.
An addition of a flexible fullback can prove to be fruitful for the Norwegian manager who has the likes of Diogo Dalot, Ashley Young, Matteo Darmian and Luke Shaw in the form of fullbacks at his disposal.
Stat Courtesy: Whoscored, Transfermarkt