Manchester clubs battle it out for Argentine wonderkid Thiago Almada

The Manchester derby has moved to the transfer market, as Manchester City and Manchester United battle it out for Argentine wonderkid Thiago Almada.

We may not have gotten much action on the pitch in recent months, but that doesn’t mean there aren’t any feisty battles between football clubs off of the pitch. The transfer market is still a battleground that can be won and lost just like a match, and the 2 Manchester clubs, Manchester City and Manchester United, are currently tussling for Argentine attacking midfielder Thiago Almada.

Almada is 19 and currently playing for Velez Sarsfield in Argentina’s first division, where he has 4 goals and 1 assist in 22 matches so far this season. The numbers don’t explode off the page, but a player of his age can’t be expected to tear up a division so strong. Both Manchester City and Manchester United are after him because of his potential.

If you take a look at some young European football stars who have come from South America in recent years, like Rodrygo, Vinicius, or Martinelli, none of them had particularly standout stats in their native countries. Yet, when they move to Europe and start working towards bigger goals, this potential turns into serious efficiency.

Almada’s reported price-tag is just £15 million, although Velez will likely want significant bonuses on top of that. This fee, however, is pretty much nothing for clubs like Manchester United and Manchester City, even if they have to keep spending a bit tighter following the COVID-19 situation.

One of the most highly-rated youngsters in South America, and one of the premier u21 attacking midfielders in the world, it’s time for Thiago Almada to make his move to Europe. Although it’s difficult to justify moving straight to such big clubs, since he will likely struggle for playing time, it’s often very hard to turn them down.

It’s unsurprising to see him linked with either one of these clubs. David Silva is leaving Manchester City in the near future, and they might see Almada as the ideal replacement, although Phil Foden has been waiting in the wings for quite some time.

Manchester United are also set to lose Angel Gomes this summer, so Almada might be the one to fill the hole in their depth and for their future.