The summer transfer window has closed, but Manchester United are reportedly still in the market for reinforcements, with Santiago Arias linked with a move to Old Trafford.
United endured an eventful first summer of the Erik ten Hag era, with the club eventually splashing the cash to bring in Casemiro and Antony to bolster their new manager’s squad. They also added Christian Eriksen, Tyrell Malacia and Lisandro Martinez to replace some of the players who left when their contracts expired.
After a terrible start to the campaign, things have shown signs of clicking with four straight Premier League wins propelling United up to fifth in the table. However, it seems United are not entirely content with their work over the summer, with additions still being considered.
Arias is available as a free agent, after seeing his contract terminated by Atletico Madrid, so could be signed without a transfer fee. But who is he? And why might United be interested in acquiring his services? Here Mirror Football gives you the lowdown on the defender.
Who is Santiago Arias?
Arias is a 30-year-old right-back. Although he has earned 54 caps for Colombia, he has plied his trade in Europe since 2011, playing for Sporting Lisbon, PSV Eindhoven, Atletico Madrid, Bayer Leverkusen and Granada.
He played three times for Colombia at the 2014 World Cup in Brazil and this tournament experience came during the most settled time in club football during his career. Arias, who was born in Medellin, played 172 times for PSV between 2013 and 2018, contributing 10 goals and 21 assists. During that period, PSV won three Eredivisie titles – success which came under the management of Phillip Cocu.
Arias moved to Atletico Madrid in July 2018 for around £11million, but struggled to hit the same heights in Spain. He made 51 appearances for the club, but struggled with injuries, including a fractured fibula, and was loaned out twice – to Leverkusen and Granada – after slipping behind Kieran Trippier and Srme Vrsaljko in Diego Simeone’s pecking order. He was released this summer and is still without a club.
What’s been said about him?
Everton were interested in signing Arias a few years ago, due to the link with the Merseyside club’s former sporting director Marcel Brands, who knew the Colombian from his time at PSV. Brands certainly rates the right-back. “He is the perfect model of the modern defender: pacy, powerful and attack-minded. There are not many players with such qualities,” he said in 2015 when Arias signed a new PSV contract.
That description has been backed up by Leverkusen manager Peter Bosz, who signed him on loan from Atletico in 2020. "I already knew Santiago Arias as an opponent in the Netherlands, where he played for one of the top teams and was used quite offensively,” Bosz said. “At Atletico, he played a more defensive role. This combination makes him a very complete player, who will help us.”
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Why do Man Utd want him?
Ten Hag is seemingly not keen on Aaron Wan-Bissaka, who has lost his place to Diogo Dalot at right-back in the early stages of the season. That stance was evident on Thursday, when Dalot kept his place in a heavily-rotated side for the visit of Real Sociedad. Wan-Bissaka remained on the bench, even when youngsters were being given game time in the closing stages. Ten Hag preferred to use Victor Lindelof as a right-back after bringing on Lisandro Martinez.
United have allowed Ethan Laird to leave on loan for QPR and Brandon Williams remains at the club, but was excluded from the squad for the Europa League due to ongoing injury problems.
That is where Arias could come in. Provided he is over his injury problems, which included a hamstring problem at Granada last season, then he is an experienced player who could provide valuable back-up in what is perceived as a weak position.
Could a deal happen?
Reports in Spain say that Arias already ‘has his bags ready’ to move to United. That is hardly surprising, given his current situation.
What could stand in his favour is the fact that United have previously been interested in Arias. As Mirror Football reported back in March 2014, United were looking at him and Seamus Coleman as an alternative to Rafael da Silva.
This time around, he wouldn’t arrive as a high-profile signing, but could slip in the back door as unglamorous cover.
