Mauricio Pochettino might face a hurdle in making his first Manchester United signing, as other Premier League teams have started talks.
Mauricio Pochettino, the new manager of Manchester United, is already thinking about how to build his team. But there might be a tricky problem early on with one player he’s interested in.
At a press conference for the USA national team, where he’ll coach two last games in November, a very emotional Pochettino announced he’s joining Manchester United. However, sources say he may have a challenge with a player Cesc Fabregas described as “a bit anarchic” while planning for the January transfer window.
Manchester United is currently 18th in the Premier League, so Pochettino will be eager to turn things around. One option he’s considering comes from Italy’s Como, a team that recently beat the Red Devils.
According to Caught Offside, Manchester United wants Como’s attacking midfielder Martin Baturina, but other clubs are also interested. Chelsea, Tottenham, Aston Villa, Newcastle United, and Bayern Munich are all watching the Croatian player closely.
Chelsea and Manchester United have shown the most interest and have contacted Como. Both clubs value Baturina around £50 million, but Como is hoping for about £66 million.
“We have been told that Chelsea and United’s recruitment teams really like Baturina,” Caught Offside said. “They’ve been working on this for a while and started talks with Como. But there’s still a big price gap—about £16 million—so no deal yet.”
Martin Baturina has been key to Como’s success in Serie A and the Champions League. Since last season, he’s scored nine goals and made four assists in 38 games. Many compare his style and vision to Luka Modric.
Born in Switzerland to Croatian parents, the 23-year-old came up through youth teams like Hajduk Split and Dynamo Zagreb, where he started playing for the first team in 2021. After scoring 17 goals in 114 games, he moved to Como last season and has kept up his strong performance.
Because Baturina adapted so well to Serie A, clubs hope he’ll make the switch to English football just as easily.
Como’s manager, Cesc Fabregas, has enjoyed having Baturina on the team. He recently said, “Baturina is a bit anarchic and really feels the game well. In one recent goal against Leipzig, he kept his position, moved smartly, and then helped set up the goal perfectly. He also has the strength, drive, and hunger to finish strong and score.”
Fabregas added, “He’s only 23, growing a lot, going to the World Cup, and confident that he can change games no matter the opponent.”
But since many clubs want him, Pochettino might have to work hard to sign Baturina.
For more news, keep an eye out for updates on transfers and team talks!