Alex Telles (Getty Images)
According to A Bola (h/t The Sun), Manchester United have entered the race to sign FC Porto star Alex Telles ahead of the new campaign.
Telles, 27, rose through the ranks of Juventude’s youth system in Brazil and played for clubs like Gremio, Galatasaray and Inter Milan before joining Portuguese outfit Porto in the summer of 2016. He immediately established himself as a key member of the squad and played a crucial role in two of Porto’s League title-winning campaigns.
The Brazilian has been consistent ever since he made the move to Estadio do Dragao and enjoyed a successful 2019/20 season. His impressive performances also earned him a call up to Brazil’s national team as he made his debut last September.
And the report suggests that his eye-catching displays have attracted a lot of interest across Europe. Thus, United should attempt to secure his services at the earliest.
Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has managed to take United into the Champions League as they finished in the 3rd position in the league standings. Having qualified for the European competition, they need to bring in reinforcements if they are to do better and challenge for titles in the next season.
One key area where the manager should focus on strengthening is the left-back position. At the moment, Luke Shaw and Brandon Williams are the two options available at the Norwegian tactician’s disposal. Though they have done a decent job, they haven’t been consistent throughout the campaign.
Shaw has a poor injury record and his fitness issues have been a major concern for the the Red Devils. Though he is by far United’s best left-back, he has struggled to put in a string of starts. Young Williams has just started his senior career and lacks experience in bigger games. Thus, signing a left-back would be a massive boost for the squad.
In that regard, Porto’s Telles would be a fantastic addition to United’s squad. The Brazilian has been in sensational form last season, racking up 13 goals and 12 assists in 49 games across all competitions. He has been consistent since his arrival in Portugal and his productive run of form could definitely come in handy for the English giants.
His inclusion would bring in healthy competition to Shaw for the left-back spot, whilst also adding some much-needed depth to the squad. Telles is also capable of operating from anywhere on the left side of the pitch and his versatility would be an added boost.
Though United have two good left-backs, adding one more would do them a world of good. Telles’ experience can also play a key role for United next season and he can also provide them with some much-needed extra goals. Thus, they should attempt to lure the former Inter Milan man to Old Trafford this summer.
