Manchester United cool down interest in 25-year-old Bundesliga ace on fast-expiring contract | OneFootball

Manchester United cool down interest in Borussia Monchengladbach midfielder Denis Zakaria

According to Sky Germany (h/t Metro), Manchester United have decided to cool down their interest in signing Borussia Monchengladbach midfielder Denis Zakaria. He has attracted attention from clubs across Europe as a result of his experience, skillset and current contract situation.

Zakaria will become a free agent next summer and he can reach a pre-contract agreement with foreign clubs this month should he decide to move elsewhere. However, Man United may not be one of the favourites anymore after they reduced their efforts to get his signature. His current club is also open to selling him this month rather than losing him on a free in the summer.

Bayern Munich are among the clubs in pole position to get the 25-year-old on a free transfer as they look to replace Corentin Tolisso in the long run. Arsenal, Liverpool, and Juventus are also monitoring the situation, so the Red Devils could have it tough if they rekindle the degree of interest in the Swiss ace moving forward.

Why would Man United do that?

Midfield signings are a priority for us since the instability in the centre of the pitch has played a major role in our issues this campaign. As such, it is puzzling to see how the Manchester-based club has taken their foot off the gas when there is a chance to sign a talented player on a free transfer.

After all, just getting one player in midfield may not be enough to stock up our midfield for the long run. Signing the Monchengladbach superstar would have enabled us to focus on other signings as well since the cost involved would have been reduced considerably at the end of this term.

Unless we are prioritising other targets in the shortlist, this would be an unwise decision on our part. The Swiss defensive midfielder’s dynamic presence could have suited the double pivot system by complementing players like Scott McTominay and Fred. They are perhaps our primary starting midfielders, especially in Paul Pogba’s absence, and they could use depth and competition in their position.

An able dribbler on the ball, Zakaria is a strong presence in defence as well. He is certainly of a good age profile too, where he is just entering into the peak years of his career. A move to Bayern Munich is a big move for any player, but our fans would appreciate it if we are the ones taking advantage of his contract that is quickly running out at Monchengladbach.

It remains to be seen what path the club would take right now and if they would focus their attention on other targets. We will get a clear picture of what will the case be like in the months to come but with Pogba looking set to leave in the summer and Nemanja Matic not getting any younger, signing a number 6 is certainly something that we need.