Man United planning onslaught on self-declared ‘best playmaker in the world’ who already replaced Eriksen | OneFootball

Manchester United have reportedly added Inter Milan star Hakan Calhanoglu to their summer shortlist, considering him a profile capable of adding quality to the middle of the park.

The Red Devils are set to part ways with Christian Eriksen who is running on an expiring contract. The Dane admitted that his time at the club is all but over.

Curiously, Fichajes claims Man Utd could opt to replace the 33-year-old with Calhanoglu, thus replicating a manoeuvre already conducted by Inter in the summer of 2021.

At the time, Erisksen became ineligible to play in Serie A due to his heart condition, which required him to use an Implantable Cardioverter Defibrillator (ICD). Hence, he ended up sealing a move to Brentford, while the Nerazzurri brought Calhanoglu as a direct replacement, signing him on a free transfer from crosstown rivals AC Milan.

The Turkish international was originally considered an attacking midfielder, or a central midfielder with a licence to go forward. Nevertheless, he gradually transformed himself into a deep-lying playmaker, while managing to excel in this role.

Man Utd aiming to sign Hakan Calhanoglu – Report

(Photo by Marco Luzzani/Getty Images)

The 31-year-old is widely considered amongst the best in the world in this role, and he hasn’t shied away from the plaudits. In fact, Hakan blatantly declared himself to be the best ‘Regista’ on the globe last year while orchestrating Inter’s unstoppable charge towards the Serie A title.

So as the Spanish source explains, Man Utd have set their sights on the Turkish star, and will be looking to table an enticing proposal. While Inter would loathe to lose the services of one of their main pillars, the player’s desire to embark on a new challenge in the Premier League could play a decisive role in the equation.

But while he had spent the majority of his career playing in an advanced role in midfield, Calhanoglu seems much more comfortable in a deeper role these days. And with Ruben Amorim deploying Bruno Fernandes in the double pivot, the latter would probably require a more physical partner, instead of another technical genius like Calhanoglu.