Manchester United are among several clubs monitoring Stuttgart centre-back Finn Jeltsch, but Fussball News reports the Bundesliga club would only open talks for a fee in the region of €50-60 million.
The 20-year-old has been floated as a potential defensive option for the Reds, who continue to search for reinforcements at the back. This is reported interest and scouting activity rather than a bid or agreement of any kind.
What Fussball News is reporting
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According to Fussball News, Real Madrid, Bayern Munich, Arsenal, Liverpool and Manchester United are all keeping tabs on Jeltsch. The outlet claims Arsenal, Liverpool and United have watched him in person on multiple occasions and are building detailed profiles of his development, while Real Madrid are said to be tracking him from a distance.
It’s worth noting the site that first relayed this report rates its own coverage a modest 5/10 for reliability, flagging Fussball News as an outlet with a mixed track record on United stories. Treat the figures as a guide to Stuttgart’s stance rather than confirmed positioning from Old Trafford.
Why United are still shopping for defenders
The interest comes as United’s backline problems persist despite recent outlay on Matthijs de Ligt, Leny Yoro and Ayden Heaven. De Ligt has been sidelined for around ten months with a back issue, and the Reds have yet to keep a Premier League clean sheet this season, shipping eight goals in five matches.
Jeltsch is under contract at Stuttgart until 2030, and a January move is described as almost impossible, with no concrete offers yet on the table. That contractual security is exactly why United are weighing up multiple defensive targets rather than fixating on one name, and it echoes the situation with another centre-back whose asking price has recently emerged.
Jeltsch’s 2025/26 season so far
| Competition | Appearances | Starts | Minutes |
| Bundesliga | 23 | 17 | 1,506′ |
| Europa League | 10 | 9 | 729′ |
| DFB-Pokal | 4 | 2 | 232′ |
| Total | 37 | 28 | 2,467′ |
Source: Transfermarkt.
A costly and uncertain proposition
Beyond the headline €50-60 million figure, Fussball News suggests Stuttgart could also demand performance-related bonuses and a share of any future resale. Without an exceptionally lucrative offer, the report expects Jeltsch to stay at Stuttgart until at least summer 2027.
Given his lack of Premier League experience, it may be too soon to suggest United would commit that kind of fee, particularly while other centre-back options remain on INEOS’s radar. For now, Jeltsch belongs firmly in the file of players being watched rather than pursued.