Not many Manchester United fans will disagree with Gary Neville when he says he thinks a new centre-back should be the transfer priority this summer.
Speaking on Sky Sports, Neville said (via Manchester Evening News): “You can talk about Jadon Sancho all you like, but until they get a centre-back in that can run and defend one-on-one, you’re never going to win the league.
“They’re not going to win the league with that centre-back pairing. They have to get a mobile, quick, dominant centre-back in alongside Lindelof or Maguire.”
The team is crying out for a better centre-back than Victor Lindelof, who does a terrible job trying to compliment Harry Maguire, and to make matters worse you wouldn’t fancy either in a race against most Premier League strikers.
There has been a lot written about Sancho this summer and United should be able to sign both in one transfer window, as well as Donny van de Beek, who United secured for £35m (via BBC Sport).
United definitely need a more mobile, quick and dominant centre-back and it will be Lindelof who loses out if one comes in.
I’ve always thought Eric Bailly is a better fit to partner Maguire but he’s hardly fantastic or even trusted by Solskjaer, who has preferred Lindelof since getting the job.
Dayot Upamecano at RB Leipzig wouldn’t be a bad shout. His name has popped up as a potential target, as per ESPN, but sadly nothing promising has developed on that front.
Another defender who could be on the move this summer is Napoli’s Kalidou Kouilbaly. He may be heavily linked to Man City and PSG (via Manchester Evening News), but United can’t say there aren’t defenders out there who would improve the side.
United can’t say fans didn’t see this coming.
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