Manchester United have seemingly filled one of the biggest holes in their squad, signing Sporting Lisbon defender Marcos Rojo for a reported €20m. Sporting confirmed the news on their Twitter feed, then also confirmed that United winger Nani will join the club on loan for one year.
Manchester United sign Marcos Rojo, send Nani to Sporting Lisbon
Jeff Gross
Rojo can play four different positions for United, though it's not entirely clear which one is his best. He played left wingback for Argentina at the World Cup and played central defense in a back four for Sporting during most of their campaign last season. He's also played as a traditional left back, but his best position might be as the left central defender in Manchester United's back three. It's a position he hasn't played before, but one that fits his skills perfectly.
If Manchester United’s rumored transfer targets are anything to go on, new manager Luis van Gaal might place significant value on a player being able to play many positions. In addition to signing Rojo, the club is expected to sign Ajax and Netherlands utility man Daley Blind, and they’ve been linked to Real Madrid’s Angel Di Maria, who has played a half-dozen different roles in his career.
While Rojo’s move to United for big money has been expected for a while, Nani’s return to Sporting is a bit surprising. Either he wanted to return home or there was no sale market whatsoever for him. He was expected to move to a team in a bigger league, but he’ll get to play Champions League football at Sporting.
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