Manchester United are reportedly interested in signing Napoli and Mexico winger Hirving Lozano in a £38.5 million deal, according to reports. It is not the first time that the 24-year-old has been linked to the Old Trafford club – before he moved from PSV Eindhoven to Napoli, he was a reported target for United.
Last summer, Napoli smashed their transfer record to sign the winger from the Dutch club, paying a reported €42 million for the player, signing hims to a five-year contract. Lozano had not had the best start playing in Serie A as the player was struggling for minutes prior to the coronavirus-enforced suspension of world football.
Italian news source, Corriere dello Sport, has suggested that United are not just interested in the Mexican for his footballing ability, but for his potential marketing value too. After the club signed Javier Hernandez a decade ago, the player became a cult hero at the Old Trafford club leaving the club with many Mexican’s still supporting United.
Chicharito, as he was known, made 157 appearances for United, spending five years at the club before leaving for Bayer Leverkusen in the summer of 2015. The Mexican scored 59 goals, also assisting a further 20 whilst playing for United, and was a poacher of goals, one of the best players to come off the bench with United needing a goal.
This season at Napoli, Lozano, who United feel could open up the market in Mexico for the club once again, has made a total of 23 appearances, scoring three goals and two assists for the club, which is not a great return, considering the club broke their transfer record to sign him almost a year ago. This could give United a strong hand in negotiations.
Prior to moving to Italy, Lozano enjoyed his two-year spell at PSV Eindhoven, a club that United have dealt with many times in the past. The 24-year-old made a total of 79 appearances for the club, scoring 40 goals and assisting a further 23 – a total of 63 goal contributions in 79 matches, a goal or assist every 0.80 matches, which is not a bad statistic.
The Mexican, nicknamed Chucky, has played for his national side 39 times, scoring 10 goals. In the opening match for the country in the 2018 FIFA World Cup, Lozano stunned Germany by scoring the only goal of the game in the 1-0 victory for the Mexican side. Lozano has achieved a lot in his short career so far and will be looking to achieve a lot more.
Whilst playing for Pachuca in his native Mexico, Lozano made 141 appearances, scoring 41 goals and a further 28 assists, winning the Liga MX Clausura and the CONCACAF Champions League at the club. Whilst at PSV, the player helped his side win the Eredivisie and whilst playing for Mexico as a youth, he helped his country to win the CONCACAF U20 Championship and the CONCACAF Men’s Olympic Qualifying Championship.
Lozano can play in many positions and this season has featured as a right-winger and a centre-forward (11 times in each position), also playing as a left-winger and a second striker. He scored two of his three goals as a centre-forward, the other as a left-winger. He might not be United’s number one priority but could be on the list somewhere.
