Anderson Talisca Talks About His Dream Move
REUTERS/Miguel Vidal
Manchester United are considering making a move for Benfica forward Anderson Talisca, according to reports from The Mirror.
Talisca, who spent the previous season out on loan at Besiktas, enjoyed a fruitful 2016-17 campaign, wherein he scored 17 goals and bagged 6 assists in 33 appearances. His performances not only helped the club reach the quarter-final of the Europa League, but also won them the Turkish League title.
The player, who can operate as both a midfielder and a striker, has attracted interest from a host of European clubs thanks to his displays last season, with Premier League giants Manchester United being one of the parties interested in his services.
United boss Jose Mourinho has been desperate to add more firepower to his strikeforce, following the club’s decision to not extend Zlatan Ibrahimovic’s contract due to the Swede’s long-term injury.
Furthermore, the Red Devils have been in pursuit of Real Madrid striker Alvaro Morata as well as Torino hitman Andrea Belotti, but have failed to get any of those deals done so far, which has led Mourinho to start looking for alternatives.
The Portuguese tactician has, therefore, set his sights on Benfica’s Talisca, and may reportedly make a move for the Brazilian if Morata’s transfer to the Old Trafford outfit fails to materialise.
In fact, Talisca himself sparked speculation regarding his transfer to the Theatre of Dreams, by claiming that Jose Mourinho remains a huge fan of him.
The 23-year-old was quoted as saying: “I’ve had a good season, and Mourinho has a love [for me] that exists, I will not lie. It’s a dream, something that all players want. As I said, his love is old and I like his work. He’s a great coach and I hope everything works out.”
However, he was quick to add that he is back at his parent club for now, and any potential move this summer would depend on Benfica and the English giants.
“I can’t talk about Manchester United. It’s not just up to me. It’s up to Benfica, my representatives, who are dealing with the situation. Soon, they’ll have news,” he concluded.
Written by Kunal Kambli 
An introverted grammar pedantic who worships football and loves writing about it. Part of the BlameFootball team since 2016.