Man Utd offered another ‘fantastic’ Serie A midfielder after signing Ederson – Report

Manchester United have reportedly been handed the opportunity to buy Neil El Aynaoui from Roma.

The Old Trafford outfit is currently undergoing a major midfield overhaul. Atalanta’s Ederson will become their first signing, as he’s expected to finalise his transfer after the World Cup.

However, the Red Devils still need another two midfielders to make up for Casemiro’s departure and Manuel Ugarte’s devastating ACL injury.

Neil El Aynaoui offered to Man United

United have already missed out on their top targets, Elliot Anderson and Mateus Fernandes, who have instead signed for Manchester City and Tottenham, respectively.

Not only that, their £116 million and £85 million sent shockwaves through the Premier League transfer market, as the price soared by around 20%.

Therefore, Man Utd could also struggle to buy the likes of Alex Scott and Carlos Baleba, who now have inflated asking prices, while it remains uncertain if Aurelien Tchouameni and Felix Nmecha will be made available.

On the contrary, El Nacional reports that El Aynaoui is now available for the right profile after finding mild success in his first season at Roma.

The 25-year-old has been a regular feature for Morocco in the World Cup, but he struggled to lock down a starting role in Gian Piero Gasperini’s team last season after making the €23.5 million move from RC Lens last summer.

The source insists that Man Utd, along with other Premier League clubs, have been informed of the player’s availability, claiming Roma would be willing to do business for the right offer.

Should Man Utd pursue El Aynaoui?

El Aynaoui was highly regarded in France, while his former national team manager, Walid El Regragui, once hailed him as a ‘fantastic’ player.

But whilst his maiden campaign in Rome wasn’t terrible by any means, it didn’t meet the initial expectations. He made 34 appearances in all competitions, contributing with two goals and as many assists, but he wasn’t a regular starter.

Interestingly, Gasperini was perhaps relying on the Moroccan to play a somewhat similar role to Ederson, who thrived under his guidance at Atalanta, as both players are primarily considered box-to-box midfielders.

(Stats via DataMB)

So while the Brazilian has already been secured, Jason Wilcox and Michael Carrick will likely aim to sign another two midfielders with different characteristics, rather than a less-accomplished alternative to Ederson, even though his price tag could be enticing

Transfermarkt estimates El Aynaoui’s value at €23 million, but his asking price could grudually increase the further Morocco goes in the World Cup.