Manchester United linked with move for ‘New Lionel Messi’

Manchester United have been linked with a move for the Argentine dubbed as the ‘New Lionel Messi’ as an alternative to Jadon Sancho.

It is no secret that Manchester United tried to sign Jadon Sancho in the summer transfer window. But they were unwilling to match Borussia Dortmund’s mammoth £108 million asking price and as a result, the move fell through.

While there are still hopes that a future move could be on the cards, it looks like the Red Devils are already looking at possible alternatives to the English international. And the latest of them has been dubbed as the ‘New Lionel Messi’ in his homeland of Argentina.

At just 19 years of age, Thiago Almada has scored 4 goals and provided an assist as well while playing for Velez Sarsfield. And according to the Express, the Red Devils are eyeing the attacking midfielder, who is also capable of playing on the wings as well as upfront.

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While Almada might have grown up idolising Carlos Tevez, it is not hard to see why he is compared to Messi. Standing at 5′ 7″, he is known for his dribbling and acceleration with the ball at his feet just like the Argentine genius.

As reported by Manchester Evening News, United’s crosstown rivals Manchester City had put in a £10 million bid for Almada but that was rejected as they were looking for a fee of around £16 million back then. He would later go on to extend his contract with Velez Sarsfield till 2023 though, which contains a £22 million release clause, which is perhaps good news for the Red Devils.

If he continues to develop like he has over the past few years, it will only be a matter of time before he is in Europe. The Red Devils have to make sure that if that happens, Old Trafford is his destination. Almada has too much raw talent to not take a chance on. After all, which club would not like the ‘Next Lionel Messi’ in their team?