Manchester United have reportedly joined the race to sign Alex Sandro, with the Juventus defender also being targeted by Chelsea and Manchester City.
According to a report by Daily Record, Alex Sandro is the subject of interest from Manchester United. The Red Devils have joined Chelsea and Manchester City in pursuit of the Brazilian defender, who is keen on leaving Juventus in the winter transfer window.
Alex Sandro has blossomed into a fine full-back upon his move to Juventus from Porto in the summer of 2015. Over the last two seasons, the player has been an instrumental figure for the Bianconeri, who have won the Serie A title in each of the campaigns while also reaching the Champions League final in 2016-17.
Now regarded as one of the best customers in the world on the left side of the defence, Sandro has well and truly come into his own, and is quite a highly sought-after player in the transfer market. The player also had Chelsea chasing him in the summer, before a move failed to materialise.
DUNCAN CASTLES:
Manchester United have entered the race to sign Alex Sandro. The left back wants to leave Juventus. pic.twitter.com/R0qZbrGbsO
— Seleção Brasileira (@BrazilStat) December 7, 2017
The Blues have not accepted defeat in their pursuit of Sandro, with Antonio Conte identifying the left wing-back slot as one that needs reinforcing, and for good reason. The Chelsea boss does not have a viable backup for Marcos Alonso, with the likes of Cesar Azpilicueta, Victor Moses and others failing to perform consistently in the Spaniard’s absence.
Also in pursuit of Sandro are Manchester City, with Pep Guardiola admittedly keen on bolstering his squad’s defence in January. With Benjamin Mendy sidelined for the rest of the season, the City manager has no options beyond Fabian Delph, who has excelled in the makeshift left-back role thus far.
But, Chelsea and Manchester City face stiff competition from Manchester United in the race to sign Sandro. Luke Shaw’s prolonged absences due to poor form and injuries have put Jose Mourinho in a bit of a soup, with Daley Blind, Matteo Darmian and Marcos Rojo all failing to make a mark on the left side of defence.
While Ashley Young has excelled as a makeshift left-back, he is on the wrong side of 30. With Shaw likely to be sold, either in January or next summer, Sandro is a viable target. And a possible switch to Old Trafford might just entice him more than the move to Chelsea or Manchester City as he is likely to share a lot of game time at both clubs.
What is certain is that the player wants to leave the Italian champions to move to a new league, although Juventus are unwilling to sell him unless they receive a “really crazy offer”. It now remains to be seen if Sandro gets his wish and if so, which club succeeds in securing his services in January.
