Real Madrid manager Carlo Ancelotti is reportedly keen on signing Manchester United defender Diogo Dalot as a replacement for Alvaro Odriozola.
According to a report from Mundo Deportivo, La Liga giants Real Madrid have set their sights on Manchester United full-back Diogo Dalot as a potential replacement for Alvaro Odriozola, with Carlo Ancelotti pushing for his transfer.
Dalot came through the youth ranks at Portuguese outfit FC Porto and made the switch to Manchester United in the summer of 2018. However, the 22-year-old has struggled to establish himself as a regular at Old Trafford, having been blighted by injury issues as well as the arrival of Aaron Wan-Bissaka in 2019, who immediately became the first-choice at right-back.
Dalot managed just 35 appearances in his first two seasons at Manchester United, in which he scored one goal and set up three more. With game-time coming at a premium, the full-back moved to AC Milan on a season-long loan deal last summer. While he didn’t exactly set the stage alight during his time in Italy, the 22-year-old still managed to get meaningful game-time, featuring 33 times in which he netted two goals.
Dalot even managed to earn a call-up to the Portugal squad for the UEFA Euro 2020 as a replacement for Joao Cancelo after the Manchester City defender tested positive for coronavirus. Now set to return to Old Trafford, the Portuguese defender finds himself staring at an uncertain future as Manchester United are in the market for a new right-back, with Takehiro Tomiyasu the latest player being linked.
Should Manchester United sign a new right-sided full-back, Dalot will have to look for a new club, with Real Madrid now seemingly ready to offer him a way out. The right-back slot was a major problem for Los Blancos last season as Dani Carvajal struggled with injuries while Alvaro Odriozola was not trusted by ex-manager Zinedine Zidane.
Lucas Vazquez performed well as a makeshift option and has signed a new contract with the club as well. But given Carvajal’s advancing age and Odriozola’s uncertain future at the Santiago Bernabeu, a new right-back could be sought, with Dalot emerging as a transfer target.
The report adds that the interest is being driven by new manager Carlo Ancelotti, who wanted to sign the Portuguese international at Everton last summer as well. It is claimed that the signing of Dalot is not a top priority for Real Madrid at the moment but should Odriozola end up leaving, the 22-year-old will be brought in as a replacement.
It now remains to be seen if the Manchester United defender ends up securing a shock transfer to Real Madrid this summer, while a potential return to AC Milan for another spell is also being mooted.
