Manchester United are set to battle Arsenal over the signing of Brighton and Hove Albion World Cup-winning midfielder Alexis Mac Allister.
The Argentine star has enjoyed a fantastic season for club and country, helping Brighton to sixth in the league table.
He has scored five goals in 14 Premier League appearances, playing well with Graham Potter and Roberto de Zerbi.
Mac Allister’s performances for his national team have also helped boost the 23-year-old’s profile, having starred in several La Albiceleste matches.
And now Transfers reporter Ekren Konur reports that both English giants are interested in the midfielder, who seems ready to step up.
Mikel Arteta is said to see Mac Allister as a perfect complement to his style of football, prompting great interest from Arsenal.
As for Manchester United, the Argentinian is a divine mix of grit and cunning that could make him an ideal fit for Erik ten Hag.
At present, United only rely on Bruno Fernandes and Christian Eriksen for midfield creativity and neither player has had much rest as a result.
Plus, Mac Allister is something of a pressing monster, ranking in the 99th percentile in tackles and 91st in interceptions among all attacking midfielders in the ‘Big Five’ leagues, according to fbref.
The dynamism he could offer to United’s midfield could go a long way, and the kind of intelligence and creativity he displayed in the World Cup final, particularly with his assist for Angel Di Maria, would be welcome in the Red Devils squad. .
If United made a move for the Brighton man, it would surely mean the end of Donny van de Beek’s Old Trafford career, as the Dutchman has failed to impress in any way since joining the club.
Replacing the former Ajax player with Mac Allister would also give Ten Hag more options, as the Argentine is a much more versatile player who has already proven to be well ahead of Van de Beek in terms of Premier League suitability.
However, such a plan would likely prove quite costly for the club, given Van de Beek’s dwindling value and the fee Brighton would likely exact from their star players.
The Seagulls recently extracted more than 65 million euros for Marc Cucurella and they don’t need to cash in, especially since Mac Allister still has three years left on his current contract.
Surely they would expect a similar, if not even higher, fee for their newly named World Champion.
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