Amorim targets explosive midfield talent

Manchester United are reportedly ready to go head-to-head with the likes of PSG and Barcelona in the race to sign outstanding Napoli midfielder Stanislav Lobotka, whose qualities have been fully endorsed by Premier League legend Cesc Fabregas.

Ruben Amorim is expected to be backed to revamp the spine of his side this summer, with a new goalkeeper, another centre-back, at least one new midfielder and a central striker all positions of priority at Old Trafford.

With Christian Eriksen leaving on a free transfer and veteran Brazilian Casemiro up for sale, adding fresh midfield talent will be likely be critical for Man Utd as they look to bounce back from a disastrous campaign domestically.

Atalanta star Ederson Silva is a known target and would cost in the region of £50million, but United could snap up Lobotka for less and land a player who is currently playing a leading role in Napoli’s midfield alongside former Old Trafford favourite Scott McTominay.

Reports of United’s interest in Slovakia star Lobotka come from Tutto Mercato, who claim that the 30-year-old’s future in Naples is currently up in the air.

Indeed, Antonio Conte is expected to reshuffle his midfield group ahead of next season, and selling Lobotka could spark that process to life, despite his importance to the side.

The Slovakian is currently valued at £34m by Napoli and interested clubs will have to offer close to that in order to open negotiations. The report, meanwhile, also namechecks Barcelona and PSG as rivals in the race for his signature.

Lobotka has notched up two assists in 32 appearances in all competitions for Napoli this season all from a defensive midfield role.

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Fabregas raves over Man Utd midfield target Lobotka

The former Celta Vigo star has been described as an incredible all-round player who has the ability to dictate games from his defensive midfield pivot role.

Lobotka rose to stardom in Napoli’s 2023 Scudetto title-winning side and has quietly remained one of Serie A’s most impactful players, with current Como boss Cesc Fabregas raving over the midfielder.

“Napoli have many players who have won the league, like Lobotka. Please, give me Lobotka. What a player, Mamma Mia,” Fabregas raved to Corriere dello Sport. “He is marvellous”.

“Players like this make you win games for their ability to understand football and recover many balls. I go crazy for players like this.”

Fabregas’ former Spain teammate, and Barcelona legend Xavi, is also a big fan of Lobotka – although he would rather see him lining up at the Camp Nou in the future.

“I like Lobotka; he is good in the build-up and doesn’t lose possession,” he said to Mundo Deportivo. “I’d like to see him in a club like Barca.”

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Who is Stanislav Lobotka?

By Samuel Bannister

Lobotka is closing in on 200 appearances for Napoli, but what has his journey been like and what kind of player is he?

Napoli signed Lobotka in January 2020 from Celta Vigo. At the time, Gennaro Gattuso was in charge of the Serie A club. But it was after Luciano Spalletti succeeded Gattuso in 2023 that the Slovakia international began to take on more of a key role.

Indeed, when Spalletti led Napoli to their third Scudetto in the 2022-23 season, Lobotka featured in all 38 Serie A matches. He was the only player to do so – and 34 of those appearances were starts.

After the first game of that campaign, Spalletti said of Lobotka: “He looked like Iniesta today, he played an exceptional game. He gives the team the chance to play in open spaces.”

Despite that legendary comparison, he sometimes goes under the radar compared to his teammates; he has played alongside the likes of Fabian Ruiz, Piotr Zielinski and now Scott McTominay during his time at Napoli. But a well-trained eye can spot Lobotka’s talents.

For example, Adrian Gula, the coach who launched Lobotka at his first club, Trencin, told The Guardian while he was impressing at Euro 2024: “Lobotka isn’t great just at collecting balls; if you want to play a style of football where you will be dominant, building up from the back, going through opponent’s lines with dribbling, in Lobotka you have one of the best European players in his position.”

Excellent on the ball and rarely dispossessed, Lobotka is the type of midfielder that play can flow through. He’s metronomic in possession and has also added a sharpness to his movements over the years.

Also strong at tackling, Lobotka sits comfortably as a defensive midfielder, where most of his appearances have come this season under Antonio Conte, allowing McTominay and Andre-Frank Zambo Anguissa to play in the box-to-box roles.

At the age of 30, Lobotka is coming to the end of his prime, but he still has the absolute trust of Conte, who has called him a ‘complete player’.

Lobotka credits Conte with improving his mentality and defensive game, which has made him an even more well-rounded midfielder and someone still worthy of a close look at.

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