Man Utd face Barca competition for Europe’s top chance creator

Miralem Pjanic has laid on more chances per game for his teammates than any other player across Europe’s top five leagues this season, but with Roma struggling to agree a new contract, there is an increasing possibility that he will depart in January or at the end of the campaign.

In just 19 games this season, Pjanic has created 39 chances at Roma and with his current contract up in 18 months, the need to sort out his future is becoming more of a pressing issue.

The latest is that Pjanic wants an extension until 2019 that will net him between €3m and €4m a year.

Manchester United and PSG have up until now been most closely monitoring the Bosnian’s situation, but it is Barcelona that have shown the first signs of meeting Pjanic’s demands.

Barcelona are not only prepared to better Roma’s terms, but are ready to offer €25m to purchase the playmaker.

However, there is also the possibility that Pjanic will sign a new deal with the premise of being allowed to leave at the end of the season, assuming any club meets a minimum fee release clause of €30m.

Alongside the chances he has created at Roma this season, Pjanic also averages more shots per game than any of his teammates and he may be best compared with someone in the mould of Luka Modric, as a playmaker that has a more central starting position.

As not only does Pjanic influence play in the final third, he averages more tackles per game this season than Roma’s holding midfielder Daniele De Rossi and makes more interceptions than box-to-box teammate Kevin Strootman.

This may appeal to Man Utd, as they could continue to employ Wayne Rooney in the number-10 role, with Pjanic pulling strings from a slightly deeper position.

Qualifying for the Champions League next season may be especially vital if the Red Devils are to be serious contenders for Pjanic’s signature, with Manchester United’s odds currently 7/4 to finish in the top four in this campaign.