Whilst Luis Nani has impressed at Manchester United in patches, it’s fair to say that he’s never really fulfilled his potential. When he first arrived at the club, comparisons were made between him and Cristiano Ronaldo (they were lazy I know and it’s lazy to continue to compare them, but bear with me). Both players were Portuguese and both were tricky wingers with bags of natural talent. But whilst Cristiano has taken the world by storm and is now the world’s second best player, it’s hard to see Nani ever reaching such heights.
I’m not calling Nani out for a lack of performance. He’s put in a number of good showings over his United career. But he’s better known for his assists than his goals and he’s probably best known for beating his man, cutting in and blasting it over the bar. Which brings us to the question: could Manchester United live without Nani?
According to the Daily Mail, Russian league side Zenit St Petersburg are pursuing a £25m bid for Nani. The Portuguese ace has been unable to agree new terms at Old Trafford. Zenit coach Luciano Spalletti told the Press:
“The news about Nani is true. Everything will depend on how much players cost because we won’t pay excessive amounts of money.”
So it’s not just pie in the sky – the Russian champions are genuinely interested in the fleet-footed winger. Though I like Nani, the fact that he hasn’t been able to reach agreement with United’s contract negotiators is a little worrying. Nani has also seen his place in the first team challenged by the rise to prominence of Antonio Valencia and Sir Alex Ferguson signing Ashley Young last summer.
Could it be, that as time has gone by, Nani has become increasingly dispensible? The Mail quote a figure of around £25m – which seems pretty fair for a player coming to the end of his contract. His inconsistencies on the football pitch and his uncertainty on the negotiation table make him a good ‘cashing-in’ option for Fergie. Sir Alex has never been one to let a player try and claw control away from his club and may well be ready to let Nani go.
It’s clear that Manchester United could survive without him. Just how he’d fair in Russia, however, is another matter entirely.
What’s your take? Should Sir Alex Ferguson grant Nani a one-way ticket to Zenit?
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