Manchester United are pursuing a low-key deal for LDU Quito’s Colombian prodigy Oscar Zambrano as they are determined not to repeat past mistakes having missed out on his compatriot Moises Caicedo in 2020.
In December 2020, the Red Devils held talks to sign Moises Caicedo from Ecuadorian side Independiente del Valle only to eventually back out of the move. A few weeks later in January 2021, Brighton and Hove Albion signed Caicedo for just £4.5million. The Ecuador international would develop into one of the best young midfielders in the Premier League, with Brighton making a massive profit by selling him to Chelsea for a British-record fee of £115million last summer.
Dubbed the next Moises Caicedo, Oscar Zambrano has reportedly attracted interest from Manchester United, Luton Town and Brighton. Zambrano, 19, one of the most promising South American young talents, made his senior-team debut for Quito in 2022 after moving up through the ranks. The midfielder has racked up 48 appearances for Quito and is now close to making his international debut for Ecuador.
Following the teenager’s eye-catching performances for Quito, Luton Town have already made an offer but the Ecuadorian outfit are delaying accepting the bid due to sudden interest from Man United and Brighton. Of late, Bournemouth are planning to lodge a bid for the talented Zambrano.
Man United keen to snap up Oscar Zambrano
Man United aren’t expected to be busy in the January transfer window despite a poor first half of the campaign. They are unlikely to spend big on first-team players but may still look to add talents with big potential. The Red Devils are among a few Premier League clubs understood to be keeping tabs on Quito hotshot, Oscar Zambrano.
A diminutive but combative midfielder, Zambrano could be viewed as a long-term replacement for Casemiro. Due to his youthful exuberance, stamina and work rate, the 19-year-old would fit in Erik ten Hag’s tactics of trying to win back possession higher up the pitch—something Casemiro struggled doing this season before getting injured. There is a growing feeling the Brazilian’s time at Old Trafford might soon come to an end, probably next summer with Saudi Arabian clubs vying for his signature.
Signing Zambrano, therefore, would make total sense as the Red Devils look to take a different sporting approach under INEOS. They do not want to end up losing the transfer race to another young gem. The Red Devils may now act and sign Zambrano in this winter transfer window in the hope that he can become like Caicedo in the coming years.
I am Rohan Sengupta from one of the busiest cities in India, Mumbai. A Journalism graduate with a keen interest in sports, football is something I simply cannot live without and writing, discussing and analyzing the game is what I do 24*7.
