For Manchester United, the biggest signing of the 2023 summer transfer window – going by the fee at least – was Rasmus Hojlund. The Danish striker cost United £72m, one of the top ten most expensive outlays in their history and the second-biggest of the Erik ten Hag era after the £82m deal for Antony a year earlier.
Hojlund has made a slow start for the Red Devils, scoring just one goal in his first 15 Premier League appearances (a late winner against Aston Villa last month), but he fared better in Europe, where he bagged five in six before United’s early Champions League exit. Still, time is on the 20-year-old’s side, and the early teething problems haven’t put the club off knocking on Atalanta’s door again over another young talent.
Man Utd ahead of Bayern and PSG for Scalvini
According to French outlet Foot Mercato, United are leading the race to sign Giorgio Scalvini from La Dea. Ten Hag’s side have been watching him for “several months”, as have Bayern Munich, while PSG have also shortlisted him as one of three possible centre-back signings. The competition is fierce, then, but United is “ahead” as it stands.
Atalanta are coming under “more and more pressure” to sell the defender and accept that “it will be difficult” to keep hold of Scalvini, but that doesn’t mean it will be “easy” to get him out of Bergamo during the January transfer window. They’re already set out their demands of around £43m.
Scalvini is “destined for greatness”
20-year-old Scalvini has been with Atalanta since 2015, when he first joined from Brescia, and he’s already made 78 senior appearances for his club, including 23 this season. Despite his youth, he’s a key player for Gian Piero Gasperini, who’s started him in 16 of his side’s 19 Serie A matches so far.
Capped seven times by Italy too, he ranks fifth in the league for blocks (30), second for interceptions (35) and eighth for aerial duels won (50), which highlights his astute positioning and strong athletic attributes. Crucially, he’s gifted on the ball too, sitting second in the division for take-on success (81.8%). That suggests he’ll be able to cope well under a high press from Premier League forwards.
Scalvini’s stats this season | Volume | Atalanta rank |
|---|---|---|
Tackles | 36 | 3rd |
Interceptions | 35 | 1st |
Blocks | 30 | 2nd |
Clearances | 42 | 2nd |
Errors leading to shot | 0 | =1st |
Aerials won | 50 | 2nd |
Scalvini finished in the top ten in the voting for the 2023 Golden Boy award, given to the best under-21 player in Europe. Only two defenders – Benfica’s Antonio Silva and Barcelona’s Alejandro Balde – finished ahead of him, and he was also named the best young Italian player at the ceremony.
As such, Serie A podcaster and football writer Danny Corcoran is certainly justified in calling him an “incredible defender”, and you can see why Gasperini has declared that “he’s destined for greatness”. £43m isn’t cheap, of course, but it’s a fee that Scalvini could easily pay back, and the beauty of this signing is that it wouldn’t just be a long-term move – he’s shown in Serie A this season that he’s ready to thrive at the highest level.
