Manchester United have turned to Celtic star Kieran Tierney as they look to sort out their left-back issues in the summer transfer window, according to the Daily Record.
What’s the story?
As Ashley Young has been filling in at left-back for much of the season and Matteo Darmian, Daley Blind and Luke Shaw all look set to leave the club in the summer, United need a new left-back as a matter of urgency.
The report suggests that Alex Sandro of Juventus was first choice but Jose Mourinho is balking at the idea of a transfer fee in excess of 70 million euros and has turned to Tierney – who is valued at £4.5m by Transfermarkt.
Mourinho is also reportedly impressed with Tierney’s greater versatility – he can play as a right-back or as a centre-half – and he would command a lower fee than Sandro.
Would it be a good move?
It feels like a traditional Manchester United move to make,; a player Sir Alex Ferguson would have signed.
Some might snear at the idea of one of the world’s biggest and richest clubs buying a player from Scottish football, but Tierney is a player of great potential.
He is still only 22, so he would have plenty of time to be moulded into a United player. Playing for Celtic is also a goldfish bowl, so he will have had a taste of the pressure players at Old Trafford are under.
I can understand why Sandro was ahead of Tierney in the initial pecking order but Manchester City blew up the full-back market last summer and, like across the board in football, fees in that position are getting out of control.
The report suggests that a £20m would be commanded and that represents decent value in the current climate. Blind and Darmian have struggled to adjust having come from abroad but Tierney should, in theory, be better accustomed to the English style.
