Nuraly Alip will strike up ‘an excellent partnership’ with Harry Maguire should the Zenit St Petersburg defender earn himself a shock move to Premier League giants Manchester United.
And this is coming from a man who should know.
Danil Krugovoy, Zenit’s first-choice left-back, is a regular fixture alongside Nuraly Alip in the St Petersburg backline, and has watched his team-mate grow in stature and importance over the last couple of seasons.
Now 23, Alip is one of the most talented young centre-halves in Eastern Europe these days, his towering frame coupled with his ever-improving passing range reportedly earning him the admiration of Manchester United.
Manchester United eye Nuraly Alip
The Red Devils, per Kazakhstani-based publication El, watched Alip in action during a Euro 2024 qualifier against Slovakia in November.
And while Krugovoy would be sad to see him go, the Zenit ace believes that Man United would be in very safe hands if they paired Alip with a rejuvenated Harry Maguire at Old Trafford.
“They will have an excellent partnership, Maguire and Alip,” Krugovoy tells Bombadir, the former favouring his right foot and the latter a natural southpaw.
The 6ft 2ins Alip has won two Russian Premier League titles for Zenit since joining from Kairat back in 2021.
He might not be as high-profile as some of Manchester United’s other centre-half targets – such as Jarrad Branthwaite, Marc Guehi, Jean-Clair Todibo and Portugal international Goncalo Inacio – but the Red Devils have found out the hard way in recent seasons that a big reputation doesn’t necessarily equate to big success.
And, lest we forget, things didn’t go too badly for United the last time they signed a talented young defender from Russian football, Nemanja Vidic scribing his name into Old Trafford folklore following his 2005 switch from Spartak Moscow.
One big question is whether Manchester United would be seen to do business with a Russian club, having dropped Aeroflot as a sponsor when the country declared war in Ukraine in early 2022.
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“If this move happens, I will be very happy,” fellow United icon Andrei Kanchelskis tells Sport Express. “This will be a big step forward for the football player. This is progress. A new football world.
“It will be a big plus for the entire Kazakh football if Alip plays for Manchester United. This will be an important moment both for him and for the Kazakh children who love to play football.
“Let’s hope he can play there. But it depends only on him. We will support and root for him.”
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