Manchester United’s reported interest in Nuraly Alip has one former Zenit St Petersburg player drawing comparisons with Nemanja Vidic’s arrival at the Premier League giants.
All the way back in 2005, Manchester United signed two defenders who would form one half of Sir Alex Ferguson’s their double-winning backline just three years later.
Patrice Evra joined from Monaco, while a relatively little-known Serbian central defender put pen to paper at Old Trafford after Manchester United agreed a £7 million deal with Spartak Moscow.
Now, the similarities between a young Nemanja Vidic and 23-year-old Nuraly Alip are obvious. Both are towering, physical, up-and-coming defensive talents. Both have made their name in Russia. And both would arrive in England with a track record for domestic success, Vidic winning the Serbian league title with Red Star Belgrade and Alip being crowned king of Kazkhstan before helping Zenit maintain their stranglehold over Russian football.
Manchester United linked with Nuraly Alip
“He is, first of all, a good football player,” former Zenit ace Andrei Nikolayev tells Sports, Alip going from strength-to-strength in the opening months of the current campaign.
“It’s just that, this season, the (Zenit) coaching staff have begun to rely on the Kazakhstani. He feels like the main (centre-back). And he is enjoying a wave of confidence. Therefore, maybe it’s not rubbish, (the rumours of) Manchester United’s interest.”
According to Kazakhstan-based publication El, the Red Devils sent scouts to watch Alip during the Euro 2024 qualifier against Slovenia in November.
The former Kairat powerhouse is perhaps unlikely to arrive – Jarrad Branthwaite, Antonio Silva and Goncalo Inacio seemingly higher on United’s wishlist – but if he has only half of Vidic’s ability Alip would be money well spent by Erik ten Hag’s outfit.
Old Trafford’s new Nemanja Vidic?
“Vidic left Spartak Moscow for this club at one time with almost no reputation, but became one of the main players,” Nikolayev points out.
Alip has started 11 of Zenit’s last 12 Russian Premier League games alongside the highly-rated Robert Renan, only missing the 2-0 win at Baltika through suspension.
Nuraly Alip profile
- Age: 23
- Date of birth: 22/12/1999
- Position: Centre-back
- Club: Zenit St Petersburg
- Former clubs: Kairat
- Nationality: Kazakhstan
- Contract: Until 30th June 2025
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