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Man Utd set to rival Chelsea for PSV midfielder Ibrahim Sangare

Manchester United are set to go head-to-head with Chelsea in the race to sign PSV midfielder Ibrahim Sangare this summer, Sky Sports report.

The Red Devils are on the search for a quality defensive midfielder with the expected free transfer exits of Nemanja Matic and Paul Pogba.

The club are weighing up a bid for Barcelona’s Frenkie de Jong, but there are doubts whether the midfielder would fancy joining the club.

Amidst this, Sky Sports claim that United are interested in signing Sangare, who was one of the Eredivisie’s best performing midfielders last term.

The Ivory Coast star currently has a release clause worth €35 million on his contract. He has his sights on playing Premier League football next season.

United are keen on securing his services from the Dutch Cup champions, but they could face direct competition from Thomas Tuchel’s Chelsea.

Our view:

Sangare had a superb 2021/22 season with PSV. He managed a stunning 3.3 tackles and 2.6 interceptions per league game with an average of 70 passes.

The 24-year-old was among the top three best performing midfielders in Eredivisie, having also won over seven duels per appearance.

Such statistics won’t have gone unnoticed, particularly by United manager Erik ten Hag, who managed Ajax for four-and-a-half seasons.

The 52-year-old will have had a close eye on Sangare’s displays. He bagged an assist for PSV in the Dutch Cup final win over Ajax last month.

Sangare would be perfectly suited for Ten Hag’s style of play, having excelled in a double-pivot at PSV. He is also comfortable in a 4-3-3 set-up.

United are prioritising a move for De Jong, but there is a possibility that the club could sign both with the lesser outlay involved for Sangare.

If De Jong snubs a switch, Sangare would be a quality signing alone. He would provide United with much-needed defensive cover in front of the backline.

Stats from Transfermarkt.com and SofaScore.com