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Manchester United could potentially sign Hakan Calhanoglu on a free transfer from AC Milan, according to reports.
The Turkish international has less than a year left on his contract at AC Milan and will be able to sign a pre-contract agreement with other clubs around the continent from January.
"Yes, it’s true and I think this will happen because last summer there were already talks with his agent," German journalist Christian Falk told the Stretford Paddock.
Italian giants Juventus and Inter Milan, and Atletico Madrid are also said to be interested in signing Calhaloglu. However, Falk said on the show that Manchester United are now in advanced negotiations with Calhanoglu, with a view to sign him next summer.
Falk also claims that the midfielder has already rejected a possible move to Juventus because he favours a switch to Old Trafford.
"I don’t know if you know that Juventus would have also have liked him last summer, but he said no," Falk said. "He said no because he already knew what would happen this summer with United."
"Talks are already very far at the moment and he’ll be a free agent, so this transfer is very, very likely," Falk concluded.
Manchester United are looking for reinforcements on the right flank
Calhanoglu is an attacking midfielder, who is also capable of playing on the left flank. If the player signs for them, United potentially get a midfielder in the squad in a similar mould to Bruno Fernandes, which would enable them to take some of the workload off the Portuguese star.
However, it is a bit curious that Calhanoglu has been linked so strongly with a move to Manchester United at this point. Donny van de Beek was just signed this summer to play in an advanced midfield role, while United are well-stocked with options to play on the left-wing.
In fact, it is on the right-wing that Ole Gunnar Solskjaer needs reinforcements to his squad. This is why the club were intent on signing Jadon Sancho in the summer. Borussia Dortmund stuck to their guns when it came to the player's asking price, but United were not willing to pay the €120m that the German club demanded.
It has been reported that Manchester United will renew their pursuit for Sancho next summer. Whether they get both Sancho and Calhanoglu for the start of the 2021-22 season remains to be seen.
