Manchester United are having their eye on Porto’s Algerian starlet Yacine Brahimi as they look to strengthen their squad over the summer transfer window.
As they chase Champions League football via Europa League glory, Manchester United are simultaneously keeping an eye on potential summer reinforcements so as to aid their potential title charge next season.
And according to the Daily Mail, Porto winger Yacine Brahimi features on Jose Mourinho’s wish-list as the Old Trafford outfit look to add some much needed sting to their wings.
Brahimi primarily operates as a left-winger and carries a hefty £51 million price tag for acquiring his services. The Algerian was much sought after last summer with Liverpool and Arsenal linked with a move luring him away from the Estadio do Dragao.
The Londoners are still in the mix to sign the 27-year-old though as they look to draw replacements for the potential departure of Alexis Sanchez.
Should he make the switch to the Premier League, he’ll join a growing contingent of Algerian players in the English top flight with Riyad Mahrez and Islam Slimani already plying their trade at Leicester.
With Kylian Mbappe potentially expecting an offer from Real Madrid, Manchester United are keeping their options open and in Brahimi, they see a potent addition to their line-up should they miss out on the services of Mbappe.
The 27-year-old’s arrival could however give rise to questions regarding the future of Anthony Martial at the club. The French international has been sparingly used by Mourinho in a campaign where he hasn’t been able to gain the Portuguese’s complete trust despite a few notably good performances.
Since moving to Porto from Granada in 2014, Brahimi has featured in 118 games scoring 28 goals and 20 assists. While that tally isn’t nearly as flattering as some of United’s other high-profile targets, the Algerian is a key wide player for his side and with an ability to dribble and play on the inside.
He has often plied as a forward for Porto and it’s this versatility that would have attracted the attention of Jose Mourinho. The Red Devils haven’t had a player who’s managed to nail down a place on the the flanks with the likes of Juan Mata, Ashley Young, Marcus Rashford, Henrikh Mkhitaryan trying their hand out wide.
Aside Martial none of the aforementioned names are naturalized wingers and a player with Brahimi’s portfolio would perfectly slot into this role at United.
Manchester United are expected to sign up to about 5 players in the summer. While a host of super-stars are being lined up as reinforcements across various positions, Brahimi certainly has what it takes to make the short-list as far as wants and needs are concerned.
