According to reports from The Metro, Manchester United have singled out Barcelona man Adriano as their ‘top transfer target’.
What’s the word?
The Metro claim Louis van Gaal will use his connections at Barcelona to sign versatile defender Adriano as a replacement for Luke Shaw, who suffered a double leg-break against PSV during this week’s round of Champions League fixtures, and they’ve now made him their ‘top transfer target’.
He’s by no means the only left-back reported to be on their radar; earlier this week, The Daily Star made similar claims about Leeds United prodigy Charlie Taylor.
How good is he?
As quite a unique player, it’s difficult to gauge Adriano’s genuine ability at times. He’s a good athlete, famed for his versatility, and is vastly experienced, registering 170 appearances for the Catalans and winning two Champions League titles since signing from Sevilla in 2010. He also boasts 17 caps for Brazil and featured prominently for a Sevilla side who claimed back-to-back UEFA Cups in 2009 and 2010.
The 30 year-old’s certainly got the temperament and experience to be consistent at a club of Manchester United’s stature, something he has demonstrated continuously throughout his five seasons at the Nou Camp. But he’s always been a rotation option rather than a first team regular predominantly due to his versatility – think a South American manifestation of John O’Shea.
Overall, you get the feeling Adriano could excel at a slightly smaller club, even probably passing his peak at the age of 30, but he won’t be uprooting trees at Old Trafford.
Do Manchester United really need him?
Clearly, Manchester United left-back rumours are the flavour of the week following Shaw’s injury. But recent reports suggest the England international could be out for six months rather than the previously suspected ten, three months of which will be before the transfer window even opens.
Likewise, United endured large periods of last season without Shaw and it didn’t affect them too much. The supremely versatile Daley Blind performed well at No.3 for the Netherlands at last summer’s World Cup as did centre-back Marcos Rojo for Argentina; both are more than capable of undertaking that role for the Red Devils.
Additionally, Louis van Gaal issued Ashley Young a new three-year contract this summer after the winger showed great promise in defence, so one can only assume he’d be willing to rely upon the former Watford man once again.
How reliable is the story?
The Metro are famed for their exaggerated tales and that’s the bracket claims like ‘priority transfer target’ certainly fall into. Furthermore, this story is sourced from Spanish outlet Fichajes, who seem to come up with a new wild, unsubstantiated rumour practically every day.
That being said, Adriano’s Nou Camp tenure appears to be coming to an end. Last season he made just 27 appearances in all competitions and just 16 in La Liga – the lowest he’s registered since joining Barcelona.
During the summer, the Brazilian’s agent admitted that he was considering offers from other clubs, stating in July; “We are listening to offers and once we have one that convinces the player, we will meet with the club to find the best possible solution for the two parties. We want a club that offers him more playing time and one that will play in the Champions League.”
Considering Barca’s transfer embargo, perhaps Adriano has courteously delayed his departure until they can sign players again in the new year. His contract expires in 2017 so it would be the right time for Barcelona to sell.
But the fact the January transfer window is only implied rather than mentioned in The Metro’s article suggests it could all be hot air. It’s not mentioned in the Fichajes article either, and it seems unlikely United will look to sign 30 year-old utility man next summer when they already have Daley Blind and will probably look to spend around £100million once again.
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