Both Manchester United and Manchester City are reportedly interested in signing highly-rated Bayern Munich defensive midfielder Aleksandar Pavlovic.
The German youngster, still just 21, has become a fixture in the Bundesliga champions’ side in recent seasons after breaking into the first-team at the age of 18.
With 62 appearances for Bayern to his name already, including experience in Champions League knockout fixtures, Pavlovic is attracting interest from a host of Europe’s biggest clubs.
While both Juventus and Paris Saint-Germain are keeping tabs on the German international, according to BILD, City and United are thought to have both made contact with Pavlovic’s representatives over a potential switch already.
Pep Guardiola is however understood to be the keener of the two bosses on a move for the Bayern star amid Rodri’s City contract nearing its end next summer.
Pavlovic would indeed be a seemingly perfect fit into City’s new transfer model centred on bringing younger talent to the Etihad. The signings of Rayan Cherki, Rayan Ait-Nouri and James Trafford, all under the age of 25, prove such a strategy.
Both Man United and Man City are reportedly interested in signing Bayern Munich’s Aleksandar Pavlovic
The German international has racked up 62 appearances for the Bundesliga champions at the age of 21
Pep Guardiola is thought to be particularly keen on bringing Pavlovic to the Etihad
Yet United and Ruben Amorim are also in dire need of a centre midfielder.
Despite spending almost £250million on new recruits in the summer, the Red Devils chose to neglect their midfield – instead bringing in forwards Bryan Mbeumo, Matheus Cunha and Benjamin Sesko as well as goalkeeper Senne Lammens.
Such a decision meant United headed into this Premier League season with the same roster of midfielders as last season, consisting of Casemiro, Bruno Fernandes, Manuel Ugarte and Kobbie Mainoo.
Perhaps unsurprisingly, with a midfield two of usually Casemiro and Fernandes, Amorim’s side have struggled.
They’ve lost half of their opening six Premier League games and have already crashed out of the Carabao Cup to League Two minnows Grimsby Town.
Amorim’s insistence on playing Fernandes, whose best position is further forward, in the centre of the park has come under intense scrutiny, as has his 3-4-3 system.
Ahead of tomorrow’s clash against Sunderland however, the United boss once again defended his tactics.
‘We have had six games this season, and we lost three. We have to look to the games that we lost. If we lost to Arsenal because of the system, it is your job to make the opinion,’ he told reporters.
Ruben Amorim is however also in dire need of a new midfielder at Old Trafford
United have endured a difficult start to the campaign, losing half of their opening six league fixtures
‘When you look at the game against Manchester City, is the first thing you think when the game starts the system?
I think you don’t think about the system in that moment. And Brentford, the way we concede goals, the way we create chances, there is nothing to do with the system. That is my opinion.
‘I am not saying this team would play better in a different system or not, that is not my point. My point is, if I look at the games we didn’t win, the most important thing when I watch the game is not we lost because of the system.
‘You cannot say one thing doesn’t work, when it works one weekend. If one thing doesn’t work, it doesn’t work every day. We didn’t lose because of the system. That is my opinion and people have different opinions. That is okay.’
