With Ralf Rangnick now officially in charge of Manchester United, ESPN Brasil today featured a piece with a couple of interesting stories about the Red Devils’ new boss.
To talk about that, they invited former Hoffenheim player Rodrigo Costa, who worked with him at the Bundesliga side.
The ex-defender was working in Paraguay in 2007 when he received a call from the now Manchester United interim boss.
The manager had signed a couple of Brazilians, and to help them in their adaptation to Germany, he wanted an assistant who could make their arrival more comfortable.
“He came to Brazil and discovered Luiz Gustavo at CRB, in Alagoas. He left Germany to see a player who was in the second division, so you can see how demanding he is,” Rodrigo Costa told ESPN Brasil.
“He sends the scouts, but the final word is his because likes to see players in person. He has an amazing eye”
Rangnick then followed a couple of Brazilian youngsters who now shine for big clubs in the Premier League. Those are Arsenal’s Gabriel Martinelli and Manchester City’s Gabriel Jesus.
And just in case Manchester United fans are wondering if the new coach and future advisor will look for any South American signings for the Red Devils in the future, Rodrigo Costa points out that’s something he likes to do.
“I remember that one of the times he came to Brazil was to follow Gabriel Jesus at Palmeiras. He wanted to take Jesus, but it was very difficult because of the money. Then he scouted Martinelli, who was at Ituano and now plays for Arsenal.
“Ralf worries more for about tactics and application in training and games than for talent, but he loves Brazilians and South Americans. There were always some at the clubs he worked for.”
