According to reports in Italy Manchester United are showing interest in AS Roma central defender Mehdi Benatia. With the club perhaps unlikely to renew both the contracts of Nemanja Vidic and Rio Ferdinand in the summer, David Moyes is looking to the future and the Moroccan international would be a surprise target for the Premier League champions.
Italian football outlet Calcioimercarto have claimed that Manchester United have begun to monitor Benatia. The 26 year old only arrived at the club in the summer but has already put in some outstanding performances which has brought him to the attention of the English side.
It has been reported that there has yet to be any negotiations directly between the two clubs but Manchester United have opened discussions otherwise, presumably through agents.
Benatia comes with a lot of experience in the Italian league after playing for three years with Udinese before he got his move to Roma for €13.5m. He has been a regular for Roma since he joined the club and has been part of the side’s outstanding start to the season.
Benatia came through the Marseille academy and played for a few French clubs before he got his move to Italy in 2010. He has represented Morocco on 31 occasions despite representing France at youth level.
With the contracts of Vidic and Ferdinand up for renewal at the end of the season it has been speculated that Moyes will be in the hunt for a new central defender in the next summer transfer window.
The central defensive pair the force they used to be and with age not on their side it is increasingly likely that one of the veterans will leave the club in the summer. Manchester United have been linked with the likes of Ezequiel Garay as possible replacements and it looks like Benatia will be added to the list of possibilities.
Written by Steve Milne – Have your say below 🙂
