In a recent report, The Guadian revealed that Manchester United have launched an offer worth around £12m for FC Porto left-back Alex Telles. However, it is understood that the Portuguese giants are looking for a fee in the region of £18m for their prized asset with the Red Devils confident about their chances of striking a deal close to their desired price during this summer transfer period (via The Guardian).
Telles’ Rise To Stardom In Portuguese Football
Telles’ current contract at the Estádio do Dragão runs out at the end of this campaign, so Porto will have no choice but to cash in on him or else risk losing him for nothing next summer. The Brazilian talent has made a bright start to this campaign after scoring two goals and providing one assist in two appearances for his current employers this term in the Liga NOS. The ex-Gremio defender also had a great record in the previous campaign when he registered 13 goals and 12 assists in 49 matches for Sérgio Conceição’s side across various competitions.
The 27-year-old managed to contribute at both ends of the pitch and ended the 2019-20 season with an average of 1.1 tackles, 1.8 interceptions, 1.2 clearances, 1.3 shots, 1.8 key passes and 0.6 dribbles per 90 minutes in the Portuguese first division. Telles completed 80.5% of his attempted passes in top-flight football last season which highlights how well he can interchange possession with others around him from the left flank (stats via whoscored).
What Will The Brazilian Full-Back Bring To The Table?
Telles is quite active on the defensive end of the pitch and hardly gets beaten in a 1v1 foot chase with the opposition out on the wide areas. However, what makes him such a highly respected left-back in Portuguese football is his ability to make an impact in the final third. The Brazilian sensational has shown time and time again that he can be a reliable goal-scorer and prolific assist-maker at the highest level. Telles was involved in 25 goals for Porto last season, which is an incredible feat for a full-back. Therefore, the Red Devils will do well to get him on board this summer.
Is Telles The Right Fit For The Red Devils?
Ole Gunnar Solskjaer needs to add more quality to his defensive department as evident from his side’s shaky start to this campaign. Telles fits the bill perfectly as he will strengthen the Man United first-team considerably, which might be enough for them to close the gap to Liverpool at the summit of English football.
The Porto left-back will be a major upgrade over Luke Shaw and Brandon Williams as they have both struggled to discover a run of consistency at Old Trafford over the past year. With all things considered, Telles will be a great fit for the Mancunian outfit because of his attacking potential and defensive stability, something that not a lot of Solskjaer’s current first-team options can boast about at the Theatre of Dreams.
