- EXCLUSIVE from Graeme Bailey
Manchester United had scouts in Italy on Sunday as they watched Roma’s 1-1 home draw against Serie A rivals Atalanta.
HITC Football understands that Manchester United were represented at Roma’s clash with Atalanta over the weekend.
Sources believe they were present to continue their scouting of Atalanta centre-back Giorgio Scalvini – a player they have been keeping tabs on for more than 12-months.
Scalvini is considered one of the finest CB prospects in Europe and is already a fixture in the Italian squad.
Also playing and scoring was Paulo Dybala – a player, as we confirmed last week, was offered to United earlier this month.
Giorgio Scalvini another opt talent just like Rasmus Hojlund
If United make a move for Scalvini in 2024, it would see them raid Atalanta for the second time in a matter of months.
United struck a huge £72million move to sign striker Rasmus Hojlund from Atalanta in August 2023.
Hojlund may have only scored one Premier League goal so far, but he has shown big potential in United’s attack.
Scalvini fits a similar mould at just 20 with the defender emerging as one of the top centre back prospects in Serie A.
The former Brescia talent has been in the Atalanta ranks for nearly nine years now and has become a vital first-team player with 74 outings for the Bergamo side.
Scalvini stands at 6ft 4in tall and has already earned seven caps for Italy, so he may well cost a huge fee just like Hojlund.
Hailed as a ‘perfect boy’ and ‘excellent on and off the pitch’ by Atalanta CEO Luca Percassi, Scalvini could become a superstar and he may well fancy reuniting with Hojlund at Old Trafford.
United will weigh up Paulo Dybala move
Those United scouts will have seen Dybala scoring as he stepped up from the spot to equalise for Roma.
The Argentinian can leave Roma for just £10million until the middle of this month, putting himself on the radar of top clubs.
Dybala has hit five goals and six assists in 13 Serie A games this season and has been in fine form for Jose Mourinho’s men of late.
However, Dybala is already 30 and has been undergoing injury problems for Roma.
Add in that Dybala is best as a number 10 – where Bruno Fernandes would ideally want to play – and we would suggest that United should look elsewhere for attacking talent despite Dybala’s reputation.
United will be weighing up a bargain move but Scalvini is the more exciting of the two potential targets on show on Sunday.
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