Manchester United have entered the race to sign Brazilian left-back Alex Telles, who is also a transfer target for arch rivals Chelsea.
According to a report from Portuguese publication A Bola, as relayed by The Sun, Manchester United have shown an interest in securing the signing of FC Porto left-back Alex Telles, who is also wanted by Premier League rivals Chelsea.
Telles has been a consistent performer for Porto since joining the club from Galatasaray back in 2016. The 27-year-old has enjoyed a fine 2019/20 campaign, racking up a return of 13 goals and 12 assists from 49 appearances across all competitions for the Portuguese giants.
Into the final year of his contract with Porto, Telles has emerged as a potential target for Chelsea. It is no secret that the Blues are in the market for a new left-back as both Marcos Alonso and Emerson Palmieri have failed to nail down the starting berth for themselves.
While Ben Chilwell is believed to be manager Frank Lampard’s preferred target, his exorbitant price tag has seen him identify other alternatives, with Telles being one among them. However, they will now have to stave off competition from rivals Manchester United if they want to sign the one-time capped Brazilian international.
The Red Devils’ left-back situation looked quite promising this season as Luke Shaw finally started to living up to his immense potential, while Brandon Williams emerged as a more than able deputy for the England international. In fact, the youngster recently signed a new long-term contract with the 20-time English champions.
However, Shaw suffered another injury last month that has seen him get ruled out until the start of the 2020/21 campaign. The former Southampton starlet’s injury record has raised concerns within the camp as per the report, which has led to the interest in Telles.
Porto were hoping to extend Telles’s current contract with the club beyond the summer of 2021. However, their unwillingness to meet the 27-year-old’s £5.3 million per season wage demands has led to a stand-off. As a result, they are now looking to cash in on him this summer and seem to have no shortage of potential buyers.
Telles would certainly be a major improvement on the options currently at Chelsea’s disposal, while his goal contributions should bolster Manchester United a great deal as well, should they sign him. However, it remains to be seen if either club do actually turn their interest into a more concrete approach in the coming weeks.
