European champions Real Madrid are reportedly set to beat Premier League giants Manchester United in the race to sign Brazilian international Eder Militao.
According to a report from Spanish publication MARCA, Real Madrid are the firm favourites to complete the signing of Eder Militao in the summer, from Portuguese outfit FC Porto. The Brazilian defender was also reported to be a target for Premier League bigwigs Manchester United.
The 21-year-old Eder has been making all the right noises since moving to the Portuguese outfit from Sao Paulo FC in the summer transfer window in a deal worth €7 million as reported by MARCA.
Eder has made 32 appearances across all competitions in the 2018-19 campaign, chipping in with three goals and two assists in the process, helping Porto to the top spot in the Primeira Liga and qualification to the knockout stages of the UEFA Champions League.
The centre-back’s rise in stature with Porto has seen him attract attention from a number of clubs in Europe, with Real Madrid and Manchester United battling to seal his signing in the summer transfer window. MARCA also adds that Italian champions Juventus have also scouted the Brazilian international.
Real Madrid have struggled for solidity in defence this season, with mainstay Raphael Varane and captain Sergio Ramos going through periods of inconsistency, while utility man Nacho is the only viable backup at manager Santiago Solari’s disposal, with Jesus Vallejo struggling with injuries.
Manchester United too have been hardly rock solid at the back in the ongoing campaign. The Red Devils have seen an upturn of form defensively in recent weeks, but continue to seek reinforcements at the back ahead of the next season, as they look to pose a serious challenge to bitter rivals Manchester City and Liverpool in the Premier League.
However, they had been dealt a blow in their pursuit of Eder as reports in January had claimed that Los Blancos had reached a verbal agreement with the player over a summer move. And now, the latest report from MARCA corroborates that story, claiming that the deal is all but done, with the player’s signature on the dotted line the only thing pending.
Despite being only 21 years of age, Eder has shown great maturity and responsibility at the back in his debut campaign in Europe. His game-awareness, intelligence, coupled with his ball-playing abilities make the Brazilian an exciting prospect, while he is also versatile in nature and can slot in as a right-back as well.
With the report from MARCA claiming that Eder’s move to Real Madrid is all but confirmed, Manchester United will have to look elsewhere to boost their backline. A world-record move for Kalidou Koulibaly has been mooted recently, but it remains to be seen if the Red Devils press ahead with the pursuit of the Senegalese star.
