Manchester United will have to splash out around £42 million to complete the signing of in-demand Brighton & Hove Albion defender Ben White.
According to Spanish journalist Jose David Lopez, as quoted by the Daily Express, United’s top defensive target for the upcoming transfer window is Sevilla’s Jules Kounde.
However, the Red Devils have no intention of meeting the Frenchman’s whopping £72m release clause and are likely to turn their attention towards White.
After enjoying a stellar maiden Premier League campaign, the 23-year-old won’t come cheap, with Brighton reluctant to budge on the valuation of their most prized asset.
The Englishman could become United’s second most expensive defensive reinforcement following a massive £80m signing of Harry Maguire from Leicester City in 2019.
But the club will have to fend off fierce competition if they are to sign White, with Liverpool and several other Premier League clubs also keeping close tabs on the prodigious defender.
Ole Gunnar Solskjaer seems to have managed to shore up his backline recently, with United keeping a clean sheet in nine of their last 13 games in all competitions.
Although Victor Lindelof and Eric Bailly have both picked up momentum lately, the Norwegian boss remains eager to invest heavily in reinforcing his defensive options in the summer.
All-star Real Madrid duo Raphael Varane and Sergio Ramos have also emerged as potential candidates to join Maguire in the heart of United’s defence.
However, the Frenchman is no longer available on the market after Zinedine Zidane managed to convince him to commit his long-term future to the club.
Meanwhile, United’s interest in the experienced Spanish centre-back is nothing more than a rumour.
Ramos’ trophy-laden spell in Madrid is edging to a close, but the Red Devils hope to recruit a player yet to reach the pinnacle of their career.
You must be logged in to post a comment Login