It was an open secret that Manchester United were looking for a midfielder in the summer, especially after the departure of numerous first-team stars.
The likes of Paul Pogba, Nemanja Matic, Jesse Lingard and Juan Mata all went free, leaving a huge gap in midfield.
Erik ten Hag didn’t want to recruit just because. Numerous names were linked with United, but the Dutch manager’s first choice was Barcelona star Frenkie de Jong.
midfield hunt
De Jong ultimately opted to stay behind in Catalunya and the Red Devils ended up signing Christian Eriksen and Casemiro from Real Madrid for free.
Manchester United sent a scout to monitor Sassuolo midfielder Davide Frattesi (23) in a 5-0 win over Salernitana on Sunday. #MUFC [@Gazzetta_it]
— mufcmpb (@mufcMPB) October 8, 2022
But next year, United are likely to go after another midfielder and there have already been links with De Jong and English sensation Jude Bellingham.
But a club like United is not just looking for big names. Their exploration department is always on the hunt for a hidden gem and reports from Italy indicate that they might have found one.
According to Calcio Mercato, Manchester United recently sent scouts to observe Italian midfielder Davide Frattesi.
The 23-year-old plays for Sassuolo and “a Manchester United observer was present in Reggio Emilia for Sassuolo-Salernitana to closely follow his performance,” the report added.
His performances with the Serie A team have led Roberto Mancini to include him in his plans with the national team and he already has four caps.
He made his debut against Germany and became the 71st player Mancini has used in 50 games. Mancini even said during a press conference when Marco Veratti was injured that Frattesi would be his replacement.
The report added that Frattesi screens have alerted teams to their availability across Europe. The midfielder has scored twice in eight league games so far this season.
Frattesi could turn out to be a bargain
Roma were heavily linked with the young midfielder in the summer and they may come back for him next year if he continues to perform as he has been.
Among other Premier League clubs, Tottenham and Brighton are also keeping an eye on the proceedings.
According to the Gazzetta dello Sport, a price tag of €35m has been put on the player, but United are confident they can negotiate a much lower valuation. The gypsies have the right to have 30% of the sale.
Frattesi is a young prospect and has a lot of potential. United’s current midfield options are not the youngest and they are looking for a young and dynamic option, someone who can claim a place for the long term.
Ten Hag is known for his ability to polish gems in the rough and give youth a chance, and Frattesi would represent a smart acquisition if United were really interested in his services.
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