Manchester United’s squad is being overhauled by Ruben Amorim this summer, with the Red Devils looking for a vast improvement on their 15th-placed finish from last season.
While United have signed Benjamin Sesko, Matheus Cunha and Bryan Mbeumo to bolster their attack this summer, the Red Devils are also trying to add depth in other parts of the pitch.
United want Carlos Baleba, but with Brighton stating the Cameroonian is not for sale, it appears the Manchester heavyweights will have to turn their attentions elsewhere to boost Amorim’s midfield options.
Carlos Baleba of Brighton looks on during a game against Leicester City
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Douglas Luiz an exciting option
TBR Footballhas reported Nottingham Forest want to sign Douglas Luiz from Juventus, with the all-action midfielder falling out of favour in Turin.
The City Ground outfit are keen to build on last season’s impressive Premier League campaign and landing the Brazil international would be a statement signing for Nuno’s men.
However, with the pull of playing for an historic club like United, Amorim and the Old Trafford hierarchy should make their move and try to convince Luiz to move to Manchester instead.
The 27-year-old joined Juventus from Aston Villa for £42 million last summer and has all the attributes to reinvigorate United’s options in the centre of the park.
Goalscoring threat, midfield destroyer
Signing Luiz would make sense for United, who are looking for players with Premier League experience that can make an immediate impact for Amorim’s side.
Aston Villa v Brighton & Hove Albion - Premier League
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Luiz scored nine goals for Villa in his last season in the Premier League before moving to Serie A and would add an attacking threat to the Red Devils’ side.
But the South American is also tenacious in the tackle, hard-working and industrious – all attributes that Amorim wants and needs to make United more competitive.
While Baleba would have represented an exciting signing for United, landing Luiz for a fraction of the price could well be a shrewd move as the Manchester club look to replicate former glories.