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This article is part of Football FanCast’s Transfer Focus series, which provides opinion and analysis on recent transfer news…
According to Sportske Novosti, Manchester United are interested in signing Dinamo Zagreb starlet Dani Olmo this summer.
What’s the word?
The report claims that Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s side are willing to pay £35.7m for the 21-year-old, who originally came through Barcelona’s famed La Masia academy.
Watch a Man Utd fan’s epic Ed Woodward rant in the video below…
Olmo impressed in Spain’s triumph at the recent U21 European Championships and a potential move for the midfielder would certainly tie in with United’s philosophy of trying to sign young players with potential this summer, such as Daniel James and Aaron Wan-Bissaka.
A wise head on young shoulders
Having departed Barcelona’s academy in the summer of 2014 at the age of just 16, Olmo made the brave decision to move out of his comfort zone and join Croatian side Dinamo, where he would get regular senior minutes and not warm the bench behind the Catalan club’s array of talent.
Speaking to Jutarnji Iist in 2015 (via Goal), the Spaniard revealed: “There is no other club where, at my age, I would get so many chances as Dinamo. My former team-mates at Barcelona were first shocked, and then they understood my decision to move to Dinamo was the right one. Whilst I am playing senior football, they will have to wait two or three years, and that’s if they make senior football.”
Olmo has proven with this gutsy move that he is not afraid to take risks and has both the ability and temperament to take his chances with both hands.
United’s summer rebuild around youth is a refreshing approach to what the club has previously gone through and signing Olmo would certainly be the cherry on top.
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A versatile player capable of playing on the right-wing or as a more traditional attacking midfielder, Olmo enjoyed a fine campaign in Croatia’s top-flight. But it was in the Europa League where the 21-year-old made his mark, scoring twice and providing a further four assists in Dinamo’s run to the last 16; the first time the club had reached the spring stage of a European competition for 49 years.
To then take that form and lead Spain to glory in the U21 European Championships, where he scored the crucial second goal in the final, again shows his willingness to shoulder responsibility even at such a young age.
Too often the biggest criticism surrounding United last season was how players like Paul Pogba appeared to play for themselves and completely hide away when the team needed them most. Olmo’s career path is one of having the right attitude, mentality and ability – all of which the Red Devils desperately need this summer.
