Manchester United have opened talks with Napoli midfielder Jorginho over the possibility of a move to the Old Trafford in the summer
Premier League giants Manchester United have entered into negotiations with Napoli central midfielder Napoli as they explore the possibility of signing him in the summer, as per reports from Italian outlet Rai Sport. The report claims that the Brazilian-born midfielder’s representatives have arrived in Manchester to discuss the transfer with the club.
United are in the market for a new central midfielder as they are set to lose out a few of their players at the end of the season.
Club captain and seasoned pro Michael Carrick will be hanging up his boots come May and take up a coaching position at the club, while Marouane Fellaini, who is in the last six months of his contract with the club, is also widely expected to leave once his deal expires.
And Manchester United manager Jose Mourinho is keen to fill the void that their departure would leave, with the signing of Jorginho. The Portuguese is understood to be a huge admirer of the player’s ball-playing abilities and sees him as the ideal replacement for the retiring Carrick.
.@claubgarcia a #CALCIOeMERCATO: "l'entourage di #Jorginho è andato a Manchester per parlare con il @ManUtd".
— RaiSport (@RaiSport) January 26, 2018
Having joined Napoli in 2014 from fellow Serie A outfit Hellas Verona, Jorginho has excelled under the tutelage of current Napoli manager Maurizio Sarri and has established himself as one of the best midfielders in the Serie A.
In the ongoing campaign, the three-time capped Italy international has made 23 appearances across all competitions, scoring four goals and registering 3 assists in the process, with his display against Manchester City in the UEFA Champions League drawing praise from rival manager Pep Guardiola.
The 26-year old is a very good blend of creativity and defensive nous, which would make him the perfect partner in the middle of the park for Nemanja Matic, allowing United’s record-signing Paul Pogba to prosper in a freer role, granting him freedom to have more of an impact in the attacking third.
Jorginho has a contract till the summer of 2020 with the Partenopei, which does put them in a strong negotiating position. However, United possess the financial clout to get the deal done in the summer.