During the summer, The Red Devils were strongly linked to Argentina’s World Cup hero, Enzo Perez. The 28-year-old helped his team to finish as runners-up in Brazil, but that apparently wasn’t enough to convince Manchester United to swoop in and close the deal.
Louis Van Gaal apparently had bigger fish to fry. Manchester United ended up spending £59.7m on Real Madrid star, Angel Di Maria. That’s considerably more than they would have had to spend on Perez and most fans will probably feel that they ended up getting a considerably better player.
Still, I can’t help but wonder if Manchester United’s interest in Enzo Perez is really over. Could Van Gaal still have his eyes on the Argentine ace?
According to The Metro, Perez has a £23.5m release clause written into his Benfica contract. The source suggests that Manchester United are willing to match this fee during the January transfer window. It looks like Valencia’s interest in the player could spur Van Gaal and co. into life.
At 28-years-old, Perez is no spring-chicken. On the other hand, he’s got bag-loads of experience (13 caps for his international side, 60 appearances for Benfica and 119 appearances for Estudiantes).
Perez has had something of a mixed bag so far this season. He’s made 11 appearances for Benfica and he’s scored one goal. After a fantastic campaign at the World Cup, I’m sure he’ll have expected to offer a little bit more. Of course, the season is still young. The Argentine ace is more than capable of turning things around.
Still, I wonder if Perez wouldn’t jump at the opportunity for a change in scenery. If Manchester United come knocking, surely he’ll have his head turned?
£23.5m is a lot of money, but Louis Van Gaal has proven that he’s more than willing to spend big when necessary. It’ll be interesting to see if he’s willing to continue his spree during the January transfer window. Manchester United fans will certainly be hoping that he is.
What’s your take? Is Enzo Perez a valid option for Manchester United? Is he too old for The Red Devils?
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