Manchester United fans are still waiting to see the club land their first major signing of the summer.
It’s been well documented that upgrades are needed all over the pitch, including in attack, despite the club boasting the likes of Bruno Fernandes, Jadon Sancho, Marcus Rashford and Cristiano Ronaldo within their ranks.
Only Ronaldo truly performed to a level expected from that group last season, and while it’s hoped a more cohesive United side under Erik ten Hag should get the best from those players, it seems crucial that the Reds bring in at least one new attacker ahead of the next season.
While numerous names from across Europe have been linked, there’s a teenager thriving over in the MLS that’s attracting plenty of attention and who should definitely be on United’s radar.
That player is 19-year-old Talles Magno.
The Brazilian built quite a reputation in his homeland playing for Vasco da Gama. He was one of the most promising youngsters coming through their well-respected academy, so much so that there were reports the likes of Atletico Madrid were scouting him before he’d even made a first-team appearance.
He made his debut as a 17-year-old and went on to make 61 appearances for Vasco, despite suffering two long-term injuries during that time.
His performances in Brazil saw him linked heavily with a move to Liverpool, though it was New York City who swooped in first to seal a deal for the exciting attacker in 2021. He’s already registered 12 goal contributions in the Big Apple in less than 40 appearances, and many are now predicting a move to Europe is on the horizon.
In terms of playing style, Talles can best be summarised as a skilled attacker who likes to play on the left. However, you will often see him given the freedom to drift in between the lines and influence play in central areas too.
He is on paper right-footed, although more than comfortable taking touches and making passes with his left. This makes him an often exciting and unpredictable attacker. Only seven players have averaged more dribbles per 90 than him in the MLS this season.
As a profile, he is both distinctive and imposing. He stands at 6ft1in and has long-reaching legs. This unorthodox frame is very much a positive rather than a negative.
His long legs give him an advantage in shielding the ball from opponents and help him to drive away from defenders after taking them on.
Despite his potential, it’s probably fair to say that Talles might not be at a level to yet thrive in the Premier League. Yet his development could be fast-tracked by working with a coach like Ten Hag who has brought on so many similar young players over the years.
This means if signed, he could come to Old Trafford and play an influential role a lot sooner than people might expect.
