Man Utd show surprise interest in Italian international on free transfer

Manchester United shown surprising interest in Napoli goalkeeper Alex Meret who is out of contract at the end of the season.

Despite uncertainty about his future, Meret has remained Napoli's number one stopper, contributing significantly to their current lead in the Serie A table.

But with Andre Onana finally finding his feet in his second season at Old Trafford it begs the question of whether they need him.

The reported interest has caught many supporters off guard. Some feel it would be an odd decision to bring in a new goalkeeper who may not be content with serving as a back-up.

With Onana performing solidly and his deputy, Altay Bayindir, also on the roster, fans have voiced their scepticism on social media.

Onana, now 28, has managed to secure six clean sheets in his 13 appearances in the Premier League this season.

Since his signing from Inter Milan, he has played a total of 70 matches for the Red Devils. And he is the preferred choice for the majority of the cup matches despite Bayindir's addition to the team.

Should United decide to pursue Meret, they will face considerable competition. Rumours suggest Inter Milan among other European clubs are also vying for the Italian goalkeeper's signature.

Especially since Yann Sommer, Inter's current first-choice keeper, is now 35, the club's decision-makers might see Meret as an immediate enhancement.

Meret, who was part of the Italian team that won Euro 2020, has been with Napoli since 2018, having signed from his hometown team, Udinese.

Throughout his tenure at Napoli, Meret has managed to keep 63 clean sheets over 189 appearances and has been instrumental in helping the team achieve Serie A title and Coppa Italia successes.

Napoli paid €26 million to sign Meret from Udinese in 2019 and a key incentive to bring him to Old Trafford is that he would now be available on a free transfer.

Meret is a goalkeeper with pedigree who is continues to be an Italian international and was called up to their recent matches.