Manchester United poised to go in for sensational Spaniard
Sir Alex Ferguson looks ready to bolster his defence in the January transfer window by making a move for former Spanish Under-21 international and Marseille right-back, César Azpilicueta.
The Scot has been unfortunate so far this season as his side have suffered numerous injuries with backline missing the likes of Rafael, Rio Ferdinand at times as well as losing Nemanja Vidic for the rest of the season.
The news could mean that Chris Smalling and Phil Jones could both revert to their original positions of centre-back as Ferguson looks to add to the right side with Azpilicueta.
So far this season, the manager has been able to experiment with his youngsters, trying both Smalling and Jones out at right-back and central midfield respectively.
However, such a luxury may no longer be viable after a string of injuries that include Tom Cleverley, Darren Fletcher and Javier Hernandez.
Azpilicueta has made 19 appearances for both the Spanish Under-21 side as well as his Ligue 1 side, Marseille.
His club tally would be far greater, had the 22 year-old not torn the anterior cruciate ligaments in his left knee in November of 2010, ruling himself out of all competitions until May of this year.
The defender signed for Les Phocéens in the summer of 2010 in a deal believed to be around £8m.
Azpilicueta has shown to be a consistently solid defender in the past and was unfortunate that his growth was stunted by the injury suffered last campaign.
That being said, if the Premier League champions can keep the Spaniard fit, his acquisition could be a savvy one as it’s believed the player may be available for a sum similar to that for which he moved to the Stade Vélodrome.
