Manchester United will look to sign Juventus forward Mario Mandzukic in the January transfer window, according to the Athletic (paywall).
The Croatian international was heavily linked with a move to Old Trafford in the summer, but a deal never materialised. There has been a mixed reaction on Twitter as to whether a bid for a 33-year-old is a good idea:
Wow, 5 years too late.
— Satrio Raharjo (@xathrya) 30 September 2019
I actually wouldn’t be against this I
— Adil? (@_adilmanning_) 30 September 2019
Is he the future?
— Sükü (@muramasuku) 30 September 2019
33 year old who can’t get games for Juventus and has 30 goals in 117 appearances… he’s Man Utd answer for everything isn’t he???
— StrawbzGamer (@StrawbzGamer) 30 September 2019
I'd take Ibrahimovic over mandzukic
— Mikey Obie? (@obie_mikey) 30 September 2019
Could have got him in summer
— Kishor Barua (@k_barua) 30 September 2019
I thought Olé was interested in young and hungry talents.
— Tah Freaks (@tah_freaks) 30 September 2019
Confused club
— j.d (@joeydozie) 30 September 2019
Another backwards step
— Ashley Freer (@AshFreer91) 30 September 2019
We need him
— AIMAN (@AIMAN786aiman) 30 September 2019
Should’ve signed him in the Summer, look at the mess we’re in now?
— LYK77 (@Once_LYK77) 30 September 2019
United manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has already stated that the club will be in the market for a striker in January, but he hinted that they would only sign a player with the future in mind:
“We’re looking for some creativity and goals, but they (potential signings) have to be the right one. There were strikers available but not the ones we wanted. We couldn’t get the one we wanted (in the summer).”
“There’s no point getting players in that you are not 100% sure about either. When you get players in, you need the right ones that are going to stay here for a long period of time and that’s the long-term thinking we have to show.”
Mandzukic would be the polar opposite of that approach. However, the Croatian is likely to be available after failing to make an impact under manager Maurizio Sarri so far this season.
The forward has only made the bench three times and has not played a single minute for Juve this campaign in any competition.