Napoli midfielder Jorginho reportedly prefers a summer move to Manchester City over their cross-town rivals Manchester United.
According to a report in The Sun, the 26-year-old has been watched by both Manchester clubs over the course of the season and that he had indicated that he would prefer a move to the Etihad Stadium to join Pep Guardiola recently crowned champions over Jose Mourinho’s United side.
Jorginho, who has a little over two seasons left on his current contract, joined the Partenopei from Hellas Verona in January 2014. Since then, he has grown leaps and bounds and under the guidance of Maurizio Sarri, established himself as one of the best midfielders in all of Europe.
He would be a great fit at both Manchester United or City. Both clubs are on the lookout for midfield reinforcements and the Hellas Verona youth product could arguably walk into the starting XI of either team given the state of their current personnel.
Michael Carrick will be retiring at the end of the season, while Maroune Fellaini and Ander Herrera are also likely to leave Old Trafford in the summer. That leaves Mourinho with Nemanja Matic and Paul Pogba, so the Red Devils will surely need new additions to their squad.
Capable of playing as a box-to-box midfielder, a deep lying playmaker or a defensive midfielder, the versatile Italian could slot right alongside Pogba and take over defensive duties in a double pivot or alongside both Matic and Pogba in a midfield three, as he now does for Napoli.
However, it has been stated that he prefers Manchester City, so United will have their work cut out for them. While reasons for said preference are unclear, it could likely have something to do with Guardiola’s style of play which is similar to that of Sarri’s.
Much like Guardiola himself, the 59-year-old Sarri opts for a more attacking approach with fast paced, possession-based play and putting high pressure off the ball. His Napoli side play some of the most attractive football in Europe and it is a philosophy that Jorginho has thrived under.
Yaya Toure is edging closer to a Manchester City exit in the summer, while Fernandinho will need a long term replacement and some competition and Ilkay Gundogan’s injury troubles are well documented. Jorginho would slot right in between Kevin De Bruyne and David Silva in midfield.
Hardworking, disciplined and blessed with great vision, the Brazilian born Jorginho will fit perfectly in the Premier League. At only 26, he is in the prime years of his career and Napoli will ensure that he doesn’t go on the cheap. This has the potential to be one of the biggest bidding wars of the summer and it will be interesting to see where Jorginho chooses to take the next step of his career.
