Manchester United have reportedly dispatched scouts to watch Olympiacos’ highly coveted teenage midfielder, Christos Mouzakitis, during their Champions League match against Real Madrid last week. Several top-tier European clubs, including those from the Premier League, have recently shown interest in 18-year-old Mouzakitis.
The young talent was under close scrutiny by potential suitors as he impressed for Olympiacos in their 4-3 defeat to Los Blancos. The Sun claim that United have ‘intensified their interest’ in Mouzakitis by sending representatives to Greece to watch him play. Curiously, Real Madrid are also believed to be monitoring the midfield prodigy’s progress, having had a firsthand look at his exceptional skills.
It’s reported that Mouzakitis, who recently won the prestigious Tuttosport Golden Ball Web award, is valued at approximately £40million by Olympiacos.
However, his worth is anticipated to increase ahead of the January transfer window as a multitude of clubs continue to keep tabs on him. These include Borussia Dortmund, AC Milan and Juventus, while Arsenal and Aston Villa are among Mouzakitis’ other Premier League admirers.
While it’s unclear if United plan to formalise their interest in Mouzakitis in the upcoming January transfer window, they continue to be strongly linked with another midfielder.
After splurging approximately £200m on revamping their attack in the summer, it’s anticipated that Ruben Amorim and his team will next focus on strengthening United’s midfield.
Carlos Baleba, Elliot Anderson, and Adam Wharton are all rumoured to be on United’s radar. Joao Gomes of Wolves is another name persistently linked with a move to Old Trafford, and given his club’s current struggles at the bottom of the Premier League table, he could be a more feasible acquisition come January.
However, Gomes won’t be taking to the pitch for Wolves when they face United in Manchester on Monday night. The £44m-rated player is serving a suspension after receiving his fifth yellow card of the season in Wednesday’s 1-0 home loss against Nottingham Forest.