Manchester United

Manchester United

Premier League • England

Man Utd ‘taking note’ of American attacking midfielder but club with Man City connection could sign him first

Brian Gutierrez

Manchester United are watching from a distance the development of Chicago Fire attacking midfielder Brian Gutierrez, according to a report.

Gutierrez came through the Chicago Fire youth ranks and has made 74 senior appearances since. He has contributed 11 assists and two goals in that time, but is yet to score from 17 appearances so far in 2023.

Nevertheless, his progress has caught the attention of a few clubs on the other side of the Atlantic Ocean, according to the Daily Mail.

Man Utd are said to be among the clubs ‘taking note’ of the potential that Gutierrez has been demonstrating. There are other, unnamed Premier League clubs in contention too.

The report does say Man Utd have only been watching him ‘to a degree’, but the fact they are the only English club named in the report is intriguing.

North of the border, Rangers are also apparently in the race for Gutierrez, whose main obstacle in the way of a transfer to a British club would be receiving a work permit.

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If that proves to be too difficult, he would have to explore his options elsewhere in Europe. According to the report, his suitors include Borussia Dortmund and RB Leipzig in Germany, as well as Girona in Spain.

Girona, it ought to be remembered, are part of the City Football Group, meaning they are part of the same stable as United’s local rivals, Manchester City.

Whether there would be the potential for Gutierrez to end up at Man City as part of Girona’s proposed swoop for him, only time will tell.

Brian Gutierrez becoming one to watch

Still only 19 years old, the attacking midfielder has already represented the USA at under-20 level, but was not included in the country’s squad for the World Cup of that category.

Despite being overlooked, he has been earning admirers for the way he has been conducting himself in MLS. In recent months, he has played as a central attacking midfielder or on either flank.

He can call former Liverpool winger Xherdan Shaqiri a teammate, as well as ex-Middlesbrough striker Kei Kamara.

Gutierrez’s deal with Chicago Fire is due to last until the end of December 2026. However, he might have the chance to cross the pond before then.

If he does end up at Man Utd, he could go on to follow in the footsteps of Jim Brown, Edward McIlvenny, Jonathon Spector and – most notably – Tim Howard as being an American to represent the club at senior level.

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