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Manchester United are reportedly contemplating bolstering their midfield with the signing of Lionel Messi's international teammate Rodrigo De Paul. The Red Devils are targeting the aggressive midfielder to add physicality in the middle of the park.
The Argentina international plays for Atletico Madrid but his contract ends in the summer of 2026. According to reports in Fichajes.net, United are targeting De Paul as an opportunistic signing considering his contract situation at the LaLiga giants.
The report states that Rodrigo De Paul is set to leave the Metropolitano Stadium at the end of this campaign. The 30-year-old was a key cog in Argentina's victorious 2022 World Cup campaign where Lionel Messi ended his two-decade wait for football's elusive prize. De Paul played all seven games in the tournament.
The Red Devils currently have Bruno Fernandes, Casemiro, Kobbie Mainoo, Manuel Ugarte, Mason Mount, and Christian Eriksen in midfield. They also have youth prospects like Toby Collyer and Daniel Gore. Despite the strength in numbers, the club's midfield is short of aggressive tackling especially with Casemiro getting older and Ugarte yet to settle at the club.
De Paul has spent over three seasons in Madrid and scored 11 goals and provided 17 assists in 144 appearances in all competitions. With his contract running down and reported wages of £100,000 per week, finances aren't expected to be a constraint if Manchester United decide to go in for him.
If the Red Devils complete the signing of De Paul, he join fellow Argentines Lisandro Martinez and Alejandro Garnacho at Old Trafford.
Manchester United starlet encouraged to copy Lionel Messi
Lionel Messi's former teammate and former Manchester United winger Angel Di Maria has given a glowing review for Alejandro Garnacho. The 36-year-old praised the young forward's progression in a recent interview.
Di Maria said to the Argentine newspaper Ole via Telegrafi:
"He [Garnacho] is very fast, he has exceptional skills. He will earn it with experience and by coming to the national team, it is a place where you learn a lot and continue to improve."
The former Real Madrid ace, who spent the 2014-15 season with Manchester United claimed that Garnacho has a big future ahead of him.
"He has a very big future. It depends on him, on his head, to be able to handle it. I don't have much to say, there is a reason he is playing for Manchester United," Di Maria said.
The Benfica star, however, teased the 20-year-old saying that he should look at emulating Lionel Messi's celebration and not his idol, Cristiano Ronaldo.
"The only thing I wouldn't do is celebrate like Cristiano. I would score the goal and do as Messi does. I'll stick with that," Di Maria said.
While Di Maria and Messi were club rivals when the former played for Real Madrid, they bonded during their time together with Argentina.
