Manchester United and Jose Mourinho are already making plans for the next season and have had their eye on some of the most exciting players in the world of football at the moment. And the latest name that they are scouting for is La Liga star, David Lopez Silva.
Reports today suggest that Manchester United had scouts in attendance to watch over the defender in a recent La Liga game but who is Lopez and what will he add to the squad at the Old Trafford?
Born and bought in Barcelona, Spain, Lopez is academy student at Espanyol but has spent a few years out on loan at a number of clubs. But he only rose to the spotlight in his couple of season in Italy with Napoli only to earn a place back at Espanyol at the start of the current season.
He has been a mainstay for the La Liga outfit this season, making 26 appearances and scoring three goals so far. He has been a vital cog in the club’s plans for the campaign and Manchester United are convinced that he could be a top-class addition to the squad at Old Trafford.
A centre back in the true sense of the word, Lopez is a hard-tackling defender whose strength is telling in the penalty box. He is strong in the air and never backs down from a challenge and is a player not many strikers will like to face.
He is a bit rash at times but his tackling is right up there with the best in Spain making him a viable option for Manchester United. He is a no-nonsense defender who loves to keep his goal clean and will fit into Mourinho’s style of play pretty well in England.
He is versatile and can also fill in a deeper role in the midfield and will solve a couple of problems at the club this summer. Mourinho has the likes of Phil Jones, Chris Smalling, and Eric Bailly as his options at centre-back and though Marcos Rojo and Daley Blind have filled in at times, neither of them are expected to be first choice next season.
Both the English defenders have been solid in bursts but have not shown any consistency and Mourinho is already looking at top class defenders to partner Bailly at the back next season.
Lopez may not be the man who can lead the defensive line for United next season, but he is a player who can back up the first team pair when needed and can shut shop in crunch games.
Jones and Smalling may yet remain at the club as United will want to compete on all four fronts next season but if Mourinho wants to spend big on a first team star with the English duo as a backup, Lopez might only be a luxury that they do not need.
He will provide extra options to the manager but do you think David Lopez is someone United should sign this summer?
