Richard Rios: Why Man Utd have honed in on Colombia’s unsung Copa America hero

The Palmeiras ace shone on the biggest stage for his country, and is now being lined up for a dream move to the Premier League

The 2024 Copa America was a memorable one for Colombia. They reached the final for the first time since their solitary triumph at the tournament in 2021, scoring 12 goals, only to suffer a heartbreaking defeat to reigning world champions Argentina in the final.

Former Real Madrid man James Rodriguez received most of the credit for Colombia’s unlikely run, and deservedly so, as he recorded seven goal contributions in six games on his way to being named Player of the Tournament. The 33-year-old’s resurgence was a great story; he gave Nestor Lorenzo’s side their X-factor, and may be rewarded with a return to La Liga after several years in the wilderness.

But James wouldn’t have had the space to thrive in the United States had it not been for Richard Rios’ presence just behind him. Most casual fans wouldn’t have been aware of Rios’ existence prior to the Copa, but Colombia’s unsung hero is now on the radar of a host of top European clubs, including AC Milan and Manchester United.

The Red Devils are determined to win the race for Rios, with GOAL able to confirm that a £17 million ($21.9m) swoop is in the pipeline. The Palmeiras star may well be strutting his stuff in the Premier League come August, then, which would cap a quite remarkable rise to prominence…

Source link : https://www.goal.com/en-ng/lists/richard-rios-man-utd-colombia-unsung-copa-america-hero/blt4a02f28431241e9c

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Publish date : 2024-07-23 07:00:00

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