Will Cengiz Under make a difference at Manchester United next summer?
As per ESPN, Manchester United have entered the race for the 21-year-old Cengiz Under. Quite similar to Juventus ace Paulo Dybala, the youngster seems to have the world at his feet right now.
Signed for a record fee last season, Under made an instant impact with AS Roma. He scored in his Champions League debut and while his first Serie A goal took a while to arrive, the Turkish star followed it up with four more in the next four games. The 21-year-old finished the season with 8 goals and 2 assists in 32 appearances and is on par to beat that this season.
So far, with the Serie A still on winter break, Under has contributed to 15 goals all season, finishing six of them himself. In fact, this figure includes 3 in the Champions League. His form and lethality in front of the goal have led to interest from Arsenal (h/t Daily Express), and even Tottenham (h/t Daily Mail) among many others but AS Roma are in no hurry to sell.
However, now that Manchester United have entered the race, the question for the Red Devils to answer is do they need the 21-year-old winger?
Although the Old Trafford side has Anthony Martial, Marcus Rashford, Jesse Lingard and Alexis Sanchez, Cengiz Under could most definitely make his mark at the Theatre of Dreams. Sanchez could be on his way out (via ESPN), and regardless, the Chilean is 30 and will only get older from here on.
That being said, there are few players as good as Cengiz Under has been this season and if nurtured and taught properly, the Turkish international could be Alexis Sanchez’s natural replacement. A speedy and skilful dribbler, Under usually operates on the right flank and is good enough to play on either side if required.
That combined with his work rate does allow Manchester United to get a worthy star for a reported €50million if they do decide to make a move. However, the 21-year-old will need time to adjust to the Premier League before he starts flourishing as not everyone can do well in one of the toughest places to play football in.
