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Chicago Fire youngster Brian Gutierrez has become the latest player to be linked with Manchester United, with the USA starlet catching the eye of a host of European clubs.
Mailsport reports that The Red Devils are among a number of Premier League clubs tracking the prospect, with Rangers also interested.
Gutierrez is in his fourth season with Chicago Fire’s first team and has established himself firmly in the first team. Despite his tender age, he has already racked up 74 first-team appearances, and has been impressing scouts with his range of passing and skill on the ball, as well as his exceptional work rate.
For his level, Gutierrez appears to have excellent close and balance, regularly shirking defenders to good effect.
His agility on the ball is an essential part of his game and works well alongside his eye for a pass, as Gutierrez routinely creates the space necessary for a positive ball into his forwards, be that from wide positions or deeper in midfield.
It is because of this that the 19-year-old has managed to bag five assists already this season.
He can perhaps feel somewhat aggrieved to not have more, given Gutierrez is already managing a key pass every ninety minutes in the MLS, and 2.5 per game in the US Open Cup.
For Chicago Fire, he has most regularly lined up on the left wing in recent weeks, cutting in on his right foot, but he has also shown a knack for popping up on the opposite flank when required. His main position, however has been in central midfield, and he enjoyed a good run of matches in the number ten role at the start of the 2023 season.
As a young player, there are perhaps a few different directions Gutierrez may yet be moulded towards. Were Man United or another Premier League side to sign him, he would likely forge a path in a more central role.
Gutierrez does not possess the sort of top-level speed that wingers are commonly expected to in English football, but there are elements of his game that could make up for that.
The main issue facing UK-based clubs interested in the playmaker at this stage would be his likelihood of attaining a work permit.
A USA U20 international, it is unclear whether Gutierrez would meet the necessary points total to automatically qualify Governing Body Endorsement from the FA, meaning that were United to attempt to bring him to Old Trafford, they may need to state their case to the FA Exceptions Panel in order to secure an exemption.
Clubs outside of the UK therefore have the advantage as things stand, with Borussia Dortmund, Red Bull Leipzig, and Girona (a satellite club of City Football Group), all showing interest.
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