Friday, November 22, 2024

Man Utd face £15.2m dilemma as they must sell one outsider in summer clear out

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It is set to be a case of out with the old and in with the new in Manchester United’s centre-back department this summer.

Just over a week after Raphael Varane’s contract officially expired, United are making progress with their mission to replace him with Matthijs de Ligt. It is understood the club is confident of signing the Bayern Munich defender and reuniting him with Erik ten Hag.




The Netherlands international, who worked with his fellow countryman at Ajax, is in pole position to replace Varane and join forces with Lisandro Martinez in the heart of United’s rearguard. It would mark the dawn of yet another centre-back partnership at Old Trafford.

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An unprecedented injury crisis saw Ten Hag deploy countless different centre-back partnerships last term, resulting in Casemiro even having to swap the base of midfield for the back-four on a handful of occasions. United missed Martinez more than anyone else last season and securing him a new first-choice partner ahead of the new campaign must be a leading priority.

In De Ligt, United would be bagging a 24-year-old centre-back whose best years are still to come. Plus, it was not all that long ago he was considered as one of the most promising defenders in the world.

If United reach an agreement with Bayern to bring him to M16, he will be expected to cement his place alongside Martinez in the heart of the defence. It would represent United’s strongest partnership on paper.

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