Alessandro Florenzi seems to have no future at AS Roma (Getty Images)
According to claims from Italian outlet Corriere Dello Sport, as relayed by the Manchester Evening News, Man United have been credited with an interest in Roma star Alessandro Florenzi ahead of the January transfer window.
Premier League rivals Everton have also been linked with a move for the 28-year-old right-back, who also has the versatility to play as a winger further up the pitch and also in multiple positions across the midfield. (Corriere Dello Sport h/t Manchester Evening News)
Florenzi, who has been capped by Italy on 35 occasions at the senior international level, has been with Roma ever since the start of his career. A veteran of 276 appearances for Roma in all competitions, the 28-year-old boasts of a tally of 28 goals and 32 assists.
Noted for his versatility to play in multiple positions across the pitch, the Italian international has carved out a big reputation for himself as a seasoned-campaigner in the Serie A over the past decade.
He still has a contract at the Stadio Olimpico until 2023 but links with Man Untied and Everton suggest that Florenzi could be set for a surprise move away from his homeland for the first time in his career.
Meanwhile, Man United seem to have gathered some much-needed momentum heading into the New Year period following a rather inconsistent start to the campaign under Ole Gunnar Solskajer.
The arrival of Aaron Wan-Bissaka and Harry Maguire this past summer has definitely had a big positive impact. However, a tally of 26 goals scored lies testament to their problems at the other end of the pitch, with the team’s lack of creativity and firepower drawing widespread criticism.
Despite the likes of Marcus Rashford, Anthony Martial and Daniel James chipping in with significant goal contributions in recent weeks, United’s lack of an influential creative midfielder continues to be a stumbling block in their pursuit of a top-four finish in the Premier League.
To put things into perspective, Man United’s links with Alessandro Florenzi hardly make any sense, given that they still have some gaping holes to fill in the middle of the park and also in front of the goal, where they have left a lot to desire this season.
The Red Devils forked out a staggering fee to bring in Wan-Bissaka from Crystal Palace this past summer and the youngster has proven his worth with some consistently impressive displays on the right-hand side of the backline.
To that end, it is really hard to see why United would possibly need to bolster their ranks with another right-back, with Portuguese starlet Diogo Dalot a natural back-up to Wan-Bissaka in that position and veteran Ashley Young still very much in the mix.
Notwithstanding the fact that Florenzi has a wealth of Serie A and European experience under his belt, United don’t need another right-back at the moment and the club’s immediate priority should be to bring in some creative reinforcements further up the pitch.
Indeed, Florenzi has the versatility to play in the middle of the park and he could well be a utility squad player at Old Trafford but he has largely featured as a right-back in recent years at Roma. Hence, United might be better off looking at some specialist options to fill in the gaps in other areas of their squad.
Having said that, signing Alessandro Florenzi in January would simply be a waste of resources as far as United are concerned.