Sir Jim Ratcliffe has spoken openly about his desire to make Manchester United home to the next generation of footballing superstars.
Forget the current Kylian Mbappe or Jude Bellingham. It is all about the ‘next Mbappe’ or the ‘next Bellingham’.
“I would rather sign the next Mbappe rather than spend a fortune buying success,” Manchester United’s new co-owner told the Geraint Thomas’ Cycling Club podcast. “It’s not that clever buying Mbappe. Anyone could figure that one out.
“More challenging is to find the next Mbappe or next Jude Bellingham or next Roy Keane.”
The so-called Golden Boy of Italian football, then, would certainly be a signing in line with Ratcliffe’s ambitions.
- READ MORE: Manchester United confirmed signings, transfers in, out, loan exits, releases for 2024/25
Manchester United like AC Milan’s Francesco Camarda
HITC reported back in February that Man United had submitted a proposal for Francesco Camarda; the AC Milan wonderkid with the world at his feet.
According to Gianluca di Marzio, Camarda has opted to commit his immediate future to the 2022 Serie A champions by signing a three-year deal. That is unlikely to keep Man United and co at arms’ length for long, of course.
But, fortunately for Milan and unfortunately for his many suitors, the seven-time European champions have a certain Zlatan Ibrahimovic in their corner.
The legendary striker now works as an advisor to Milan’s RedBird owners, and is due to play a key role in the so-called ‘Milan Futuro’ project.
The Rossoneri’s youth side will compete in Serie C against seasoned, senior pros from 2024/25 onwards, with Camarda the posterboy of this ambitious project.
Ibrahimovic, while hoping to convince the teenage centre-forward to stay put and fulfil his potential in red-and-black, is also there to act as something of a mentor to youngster who already finds himself having to shoulder pretty exalted expectations.
“For Camarda, everyone thinks it will be easy, but it won’t be easy. He will struggle at the beginning (in Serie C), but we are here to protect him,” Ibrahimovic tells Tuttomercatoweb.
“The responsibility is ours and we have to give him time to grow. Take it step by step. He has potential, but we have to prepare him to get to the first-team.
“He is one of the great talents. We believe in him a lot, but it won’t be easy.”
Zlatan Ibrahimovic a big fan of AC Milan wonderkid
Camarda, already standing at 6ft tall, has 11 goals in 17 games for Italy’s Under 17 side.
He has been training with Milan’s first-team already; his talent at such a young age labelled ‘crazy’ by defender Fikayo Tomori. The Rossoneri even applied for special dispensation to ensure that Camarda would be allowed to make his Serie A debut at the age of just 15.
An appearance which made him the youngest player ever to feature in Italy’s top flight.
“He scored loads of goals even with the older players. There was no way to stop him,” Camarda’s former youth coach Piero Colangelo says via Goal. “He already had a powerful physique.
“He played (as a) forward or as a winger and was clearly superior to everyone. He was a hurricane. A pain for all his opponents.”
Interestingly, another Italy-based forward on Man United’s radar has actually been likened to Ibrahimovic, the iconic Swede who plundered 28 goals during that silverware laden season under Jose Mourinho in 2016/17.
According to the iNews, Man United are hoping to agree a potential £34 million deal for Bologna forward Joshua Zirkzee at some point in the next seven days.
Read more: Who is Joshua Zirkzee? Meet the 6’4″ Man Utd summer target who reminds Thiago Motta of Ronaldinho
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