Manchester United is intensifying their pursuit of Girona star Miguel Gutierrez and aiming to outdo Arsenal in securing the 22-year-old this summer, according to reports.
Gutierrez, a former Spain U21 international, is versatile enough to play as a left-back or even further up the field as a left midfielder. Hailing from Madrid, he honed his skills in the Getafe youth system before being signed by Real Madrid during his teenage years.
Despite earning a spot in Madrid’s senior team in 2022, Gutierrez only managed to make 10 appearances for the Spanish powerhouse before departing that same summer.
Girona, a fellow La Liga club, swooped in to acquire him for a mere €4m, a move that has since proven to be a stroke of genius.
The dynamic winger has contributed with one goal and six assists in 33 matches for Girona this season, playing a key role in their unexpected challenge for the La Liga crown.
While Girona has slipped behind both Madrid and Barcelona in the title race, they still remain ahead of other prominent clubs like Atletico Madrid, Athletic Club, and Valencia.
Gutierrez may not remain at Girona for much longer, given the interest from top clubs. Manchester United expressed interest in him during the January transfer window.
However, on March 7, Arsenal were tipped to disrupt Manchester United’s plans by securing his services first. Sir Jim Ratcliffe, a part-owner of Manchester United, is determined to bring Gutierrez to Old Trafford.
Both Manchester United and Arsenal have scouted the full-back recently, with positive feedback from the scouts. Ratcliffe is prepared to leverage his financial resources to help Manchester United secure the sought-after Spaniard. The potential signing of Gutierrez by Manchester United could potentially lead to the end of Tyrell Malacia’s time in England.
Erik ten Hag had advocated for Manchester United to sign the Dutch left-back in the summer of 2022, but he has been sidelined this season due to a serious knee injury.
With Luke Shaw also facing injury concerns, Ten Hag has had to rely on Diogo Dalot and Victor Lindelof at left-back. Ratcliffe aims to address these left-back issues by facilitating Gutierrez’s move to Manchester United. Interestingly, there is a possibility of Gutierrez making a different transfer before joining Manchester United in the summer.
Reports suggest that Madrid has a buy-back clause for the player valued at €8m (£6.8m). If Madrid secures their top left-back target, Alphonso Davies, they could reacquire Gutierrez and then sell him to Manchester United for a profit. However, if Davies remains at Bayern Munich, Madrid could thwart Manchester United’s transfer aspirations by retaining Gutierrez in Spain.