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Manchester United to Make Shocking Move for £14m Rated Championship Striker in the January Window

Ben Brereton Diaz, Manchester United

According to latest reports in England, Manchester United are looking to make a surprising move for Blackburn Rovers striker Ben Brereton Diaz in the January transfer window. The Red Devils need to bring in a striker as soon as possible and the Chilean forward has been identified as a suitable backup.

Diaz’s value, according to Transfermarkt, has increased from £8.6m (€10m) to £14m (€16m) over the last 12 months. Last season, Rovers finished eighth in the Championship thanks to the striker’s performances – 22 goals and 3 assists in 37 appearances.

This season, the Blue and Whites are sitting in 3rd position, with the 23-year-old picking up right where he left in the previous campaign. He has scored ten goals in all competitions so far this campaign, nine of which have come in the Championship (stats via Transfermarkt).

Ben Brereton Diaz, Manchester United
Image Obtained Via Football365

According to 90min, Manchester United headline clubs that are closely following the progress of Blackburn Rovers forward Ben Brereton Diaz. The Red Devils are in need of a striker and could make a shocking move for the Chilean in the upcoming window.

The young centre-forward’s contract at the Championship club is expiring at the end of this season and he has refused to sign a contract extension, as per the report. Thus, the Rovers need to sell him in the January window to command a good fee, else they risk losing him for free. This is a great opportunity for United.

However, the English giants face tough competition from fellow PL sides Tottenham Hotspur, West Ham, Aston Villa and Wolves for the player’s signature. Leeds, Bournemouth and Everton also reported to be amongst the interested parties.

The interest doesn’t end there, with a host of European sides looking to make a move for the 23-year-old. AC Milan, Sevilla, Ajax, Atalanta and other European clubs showing interest for a player who has earned the reputation as Blackburn’s most influential player over the last season.

Signing a centre-forward is a priority for Erik ten Hag’s side in the upcoming January transfer window. The Red Devils have Marcus Rashford and Anthony Martial who have been used as centre-forwards in the first part of the season.

However, Rashford hasn’t looked the most fluent centrally while Martial has struggled with injuries as a result of which he has missed 11 of 16 games so far. Manchester United could certainly gain by signing Brereton Diaz, who can play as a central striker as well as on the left-wing.

Player Analysis

Brereton Diaz started his professional football career at Nottingham Forest where he made 57 appearances before moving to Blackburn (stats via Transfermarkt). His previous Championship seasons at Blackburn have been more or less successful, especially the last season where he was just behind Fulham’s Aleksander Mitrovic and AFC Bournemouth’s Dominic Solanke.

His ball-carrying ability was integral to Blackburn’s style of play along with his tantalising first touch and dribbling. His performances last season were vital for the Blue and Whites, having scored a record-breaking 22 goals to become the Championship Player of the Season.

The Chilean forward’s ability to cut inside from wide and score with a lot of long-range efforts is an asset for any team. He makes it difficult for the defenders to keep up with his curving runs and his ability to take intelligent runs behind defences. He is deceptively quick and can carry the ball from the centre to the opposition penalty box.

According to BreakingTheLines, the striker has averaged four dribbles and two progressive carries per 90, and attacks the ball continuously. He can play both as a striker and an inverted inside forward. Last season, the 23-year-old has won 34% of his overall duels, and 16% of aerial duels.

In the Championship last year, Brereton Diaz scored highest amongst the Championship attackers with 11.3 offensive duels per 90 at a success rate of 30%, which makes him a high-pressing forward, vital to any Premier League club these days.

The Rovers striker’s performances have also earned him a place in the Chile national team. He has done well while donning the national team’s jersey, with 4 goals and 2 assists in 17 appearances. This have raised his profile to the extent that he is now being linked with some of Europe’s biggest clubs.

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Verdict

Diaz has a diverse combination of attacking talents which makes him an ideal striker to fit into the system of several Premier League clubs. He has even shown his aerial threat from crosses and is quite adept at dribbling out of difficult situations to help out teammates in free spaces.

Blackburn Rovers will demand a fee in the region of £15 million to sell the player, especially with promotion on the line for the team. Teams which get promoted to the Premier League get £100 million as transfer budget, so Brereton Diaz will be integral for Blackburn to challenge for a place in the top six in the Championship.

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