Manchester City are set to face fresh competition from Manchester City in the January pursuit of Denis Zakaria.
A new report from Roma Giallo Rossa has offered an interesting update on Denis Zakaria’s transfer saga. The Borussia Monchengladbach midfielder is a subject of interest for multiple top clubs across Europe, including Manchester City. But it appears their cross-town rivals Manchester United and AS Roma have joined the race as well.
Roma, in particular, are keen on signing Zakaria, who is highly favoured by Jose Mourinho. The club’s general manager Tiago Pinto has promised the Portuguese tactician at least two new signings in January, which is why the Giallorossi has been linked with a move for United’s very own Diogo Dalot.
Nevertheless, the Red Devils’ interest in Zakaria is certainly promising news for fans, who have been yearning for a quality defensive midfielder for a long time. Even in the summer, fans were left disgruntled by the club’s failure to sign a new number six, even though the board had secured eye-catching deals for players like Jadon Sancho, Raphael Varane and Cristiano Ronaldo.
The lack of quality in midfield has indeed hurt Manchester United, who have recently fallen behind Arsenal in the league table. As such, they will be keen on securing a deal to sign a top-class holding midfielder like Zakaria this winter, although they are not alone in his pursuit.
Their rivals Manchester City are among the top contenders to sign the Gladbach midfielder, as Pep Guardiola hopes to shore up his options in the middle of the park. The Swiss international is highly favoured due to his tenacity and fearless spirit that helps him perform in big matches.
From a sporting perspective, the 24-year-old can prove to be an ideal long-term replacement for Fernandinho. Even at United, Zakaria could be a direct upgrade over Fred and Scott McTominay while serving as a long-term replacement for the ageing Nemanja Matic.
However, it remains unlikely that Zakaria will be allowed to leave Gladbach in mid-season. Even though the midfielder’s contract expires at the end of the season, the Foals will be keen on keeping hold of his services through the campaign and allow him to help in the club’s bid for Champions League places come May.
Even if the midfielder does leave, he could remain in the Bundesliga as well, with Borussia Dortmund and Bayern Munich both keen on his services. Even Barcelona have registered their interest in Zakaria lately, with the Catalans favouring him primarily due to his contract situation at Gladbach.
