#2 David Lopez - Espanyol
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An older alternative, David Lopez, 27, is at peak age and thus a promising option at this time. The Spaniard currently plies his trade with mid-table side Espanyol and news broke in April that United scout Toni Lima was monitoring both Lopez and team-mate Aaron Martin during one of the club’s games.
Lopez has a £34 million release clause in his current contract which runs until June 2020, but it’s possible that the Catalan outfit will accept less.
In terms of playing style, there are some similarities between his and Michael Carrick’s, with the Spaniard, who is strong in interceptions, aerial play and clearances, primarily deployed as a ‘shield’ for the back-line. In La Liga this term, Lopez has made the third most clearances of any player (160) as well as 66 interceptions and an average of seven defensive actions per game. He’s active in the game at all times.
Despite having spent the majority of his career in Barcelona with Espanyol, Lopez spent two years in Serie A with Napoli and has consequently sampled a more robust style of play to the one showcased weekly in La Liga. In terms of physicality, he’ll be up to standard in the Premier League but may struggle somewhat with the division’s pace.
