Barcelona Identify Italian Defender As Potential Target
Reuters / Jason Cairnduff
FC Barcelona have identified Manchester United full-back Matteo Darmian as a potential transfer target, according to Mundo Deportivo.
Matteo Darmian joined the Red Devils from Torino in the summer of 2015, for a fee of £13 million. He began his United career with a lot of promise, but then lost form due to recurring injuries and frequent positional changes.
Following the sacking of Louis van Gaal and the arrival of Jose Mourinho, the Italy international has found himself further down the pecking order, due to Jose’s preference of Antonio Valencia, Luke Shaw, Daley Blind, Timothy Fosu-Mensah, and Marcos Rojo for the full-back positions ahead of Darmian.
It has now become quite evident that the only way Darmian will get to start a game under Mourinho is if more than three full-backs pick up injuries or suspensions.
Therefore, a lot of rumours have now come up, linking the 26-year-old with a potential transfer away from the Old Trafford club. The Italian was reported to be on his way to the Serie A this summer, with Juventus labelled as his most likely destination. However, no move materialized.
And now, according to the recent report by Gazzetta Dello Sport, Darmian has already reached an agreement with Inter to join them on loan in January, and the move will be made permanent next summer.
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Amid such reports linking the defender with a return to his homeland, a new interested party has now come to light.
FC Barcelona have now entered the race to sign Darmian, as per Mundo Deportivo. The Catalan giants are looking to replace Dani Alves, who moved to Juve this summer.
As a result, Barca have prepared a shortlist of potential replacements, with Darmian being atop this list, alongside fellow Premier League fullback Hector Bellerin.
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