Why this €20m rated Brazilian must snub Chelsea for Man United

Manchester United manager Jose Mourinho is reportedly targeting a move for highly-rated Brazilian youngster Thiago Maia this January.

It’s a name that most football fans in Europe will be unfamiliar with, so let’s fill you in on why Thiago Maia is being touted as the most promising talent in Brazil right now.

The 19-year-old shot to prominence following a string of impressive displays for Brazil’s gold-medal winning 2016 Olympic football team. He’s a left-footed central-midfield player, who leans slightly toward the defensive side of the game.

His appetite for tackling and intercepting, coupled with his intelligent use of the ball both in transition and attack, are key traits that make this youngster such a hot-prospect. Traits that appear to be drawing interest from a number of the games top managers, including a certain Jose Mourinho.

The Manchester United boss prides himself on building teams with strong defensive foundations. The recent 4-0 defeat by Chelsea would have been a tough one to take for the Portuguese who lacks options in defensive midfield, with Morgan Schneiderlin seemingly out-of-favour at Old Trafford.

However, Thiago Maia, who has been rated at €20m, has also attracted interest from a host of other teams, most notably Chelsea. Antonio Conte’s side has a strong recent history of signing players from the Brazilian players.

With Thiago Maia’s long-term future very much up in the air, here are THREE reasons why he should choose United over Chelsea this January.