Manchester United full-back Matteo Darmian could be set for a return to Italy, amid strong interests from AS Roma
Manchester United defender Matteo Darmian has emerged as a subject of strong interest for Serie A side AS Roma, as per the reports from Italian outlet Corriere Dello Sport.
Darmian signed for Manchester United from Italian side Torino back in the summer of 2015, brought in by then manager Louis van Gaal. His career at the Old Trafford was off to a decent start, as he made 39 appearances in his debut campaign across all competitions, establishing himself as a first-team regular.
However, things haven’t gone that smoothly for the Italian right-back ever since Jose Mourinho was appointed as the manager of Manchester United in 2016. The Italian has fallen behind the likes of Antonio Valencia, Ashley Young and now even Victor Lindelof, in the pecking order.
In the Portguese’s first season in charge, Darmian started just 15 Premier League games and has been completely on the fringes in the ongoing campaign. So far in the 2017/18 season, Darmian has featured just 11 times in all competitions, notching up a solitary assist against his name.
Man United do not want to sell Matteo Darmian in January, according to the Italian defender's agent https://t.co/lT0sdky8v6 pic.twitter.com/pDmPYqUXuw
— MailOnline Sport (@MailSport) January 3, 2018
Roma are now willing to put him out of his misery, by offering him a chance to move back to his homeland in the January transfer window. The Giallorossi are on the verge of losing their full-back Bruno Peres to Portuguese side Benfica and have reportedly identified Darmian as the man to replace him at the Stadio Olimpico.
However, Manchester United are understood to be reluctant to lose their player in the winter window, as they see him to be a useful member of the squad. Recently, Darmian’s agent, Tullio Tinti, also stated that the player would not be moving in the winter.
“For the moment, the boy is not for sale,” Tinti was quoted as saying by the Sun last week.
Interestingly, there have also been reports of Italian champions Juventus wanting to sign Darmian in January. Juve are set to lose long-serving defender Stephan Lichsteiner at the end of the season, when his contract expires and see Darmian as the right fit to replace the Swiss full-back. Italian outlet Calcio Mercato, claimed in an exclusive, that the Bianconeri had already made contact with the Manchester United defender over a possible transfer.
Darmian’s future at Manchester United is very much under the cloud. While United may be not willing to offload him right now, it is very much unlikely that the Italian will remain at the Old Trafford beyond the coming summer.