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Manchester United open to selling Matteo Darmian as AC Milan and Valencia eye struggling right-back

Darmian has struggled to hold down a place at United since arriving in 2015

Miguel Delaney
Chief Football Writer
Wednesday 17 January 2018 15:20 GMT
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Premier League transfer round-up: Latest deals from the January window

AC Milan and Valencia are interested in signing Manchester United defender Matteo Darmian this window, with the Old Trafford hierarchy open to selling him.

The full-back has struggled to settle in the Premier League since signing from Torino in 2015, having failed to establish a regular place in the side, and only occasionally offering glimpses of his best play.

Jose Mourinho meanwhile wants to trim his squad to a core of 22 players, with Darmian long seen as a likely sale having been brought in as a failed solution to the problem area of right-back under Louis van Gaal, only for Antonio Valencia to hold down the position.

Both Milan and Valencia need to fill that position in their squad. If United cannot do a deal this window, Darmian could be used as a makeweight in the summer in any move for JuventusAlex Sandro.

United were keeping tabs on Sandro to fill the void on the other side of their defence, sparingly covered by Darmian amongst others over the last few years, only to so far be frustrated by Juve.

United, as well as Chelsea, want the player and he wants to leave Turin, but the Serie A champions are unwilling to allow such a drastic restructuring to their defensive line-up, meaning any move would have to come in the summer.

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