Manchester United showed an expansive approach to transfers in the summer, signing players from the Netherlands, Portugal, Italy and Uruguay. In addition to this there were youth team players signed from Spain and France. The club’s attentions are reportedly now looking in the directions of Greece.
Greek newspaper Sportime report young talent Christos Tzolis has been scouted by United. Dortmund are also said to be keen.
So who is Tzolis and why are United paying attention? Here is a look at what we need to know…
1) Tzolis, 19, is already a Greek international with four caps and one goal. He plays mainly as a left winger.
2) Tzolis plays for PAOK and has scored 15 goals in all competitions this season. He also has a further eight assists. He is in outstanding form in 2021. He has scored seven goals in his last eight games.
3) The teenager was named in UEFA’s top 50 talents to watch in 2021, PAOK’s website reported.
4) PAOK signed him to a long term contract to 2024 earlier this season. His previous deal had been set to expire in 2022.
5) Last season Tzolis struck 19 goals in 23 games for PAOK’s under-19 side. This earned him the chance to step up to the first team.
How much would he cost?
Belgian side Club Brugge were linked with making a move for Tzolis in the Janaury transfer window.
Newspaper Nieuwsblad reported Brugge would be looking to pay a fee of around 10 million Euros (£8.5m). You can usually bet that if United expressed interest, demands would double.
Even if that was the case and United ended up paying around £17 million, it is a relatively small fee for a player with a lot of talent and an eye for goal.
How does Brexit affect a potential deal?
English sides are limited to signing three foreign players under 21 in a single transfer window.
As Tzolis is over 18, he is eligible to be signed. However, he would need to qualify for a GBPE.
Greece are outside the FIFA rankings top 50 list (currently 53), which could complicate matters.
Would Tzolis be a good signing?
There is not a long track record of young players making the jump from the Greek Super League to England’s Premier League with much success. Let alone for the standard United require.
Nonetheless, Tzolis’ goalscoring record is very impressive for a young player and he is already making an impact at international level. This makes him potentially worth a gamble.
His newest teammate at PAOK is Shinji Kagawa. He may be able to warn about moving to United too soon in his career. The gamble runs both ways.
At this early stage United are just scouting him, and there are bigger priorities in central defence and midfield this coming summer.
It is likely United do sign another young winger, and Tzolis’ preference to play on the left sets him aside from Amad Diallo and Facundo Pellistri.
At the right price, Tzolis could become an option United consider towards the end of the transfer window, especially if a decision is made to let Dan James move on.
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