Man Utd ready to sanction exit of £111m duo as Ten Hag aims to gather funds for Napoli star
Manchester United are reportedly willing to sell both Harry Maguire and Victor Lindelof this summer in order to make way for a new centre-back.
Neither defender has managed to maintain a consistent spot in the team under Erik ten Hag, with Raphael Varane and Lisandro Martinez forming an impressive partnership this term.
Luke Shaw has also been used out-of-position as a centre-back this term, showing how little faith Ten Hag has in Maguire and Lindelof.
Now, according to Football Insider, the Red Devils are prepared to sell the out-of-favour duo this summer with the Dutch coach keen to sign a new defender.
Indeed, despite costing Man Utd £80m back in 2019, Maguire has made just four starts in the Premier League this season, while Lindelof, who cost £31m, has started six.
Both players have gone through periods of being regular starters for the Red Devils but with Varane and Martinez in such fine form, it seems unlikely they will ever be picked ahead of them, barring injuries.
The extent of Man Utd’s transfer business this summer is unclear at this stage, with the Glazers currently in discussions over a sale of the club.
However, it’s no secret that Ten Hag is keen to add more quality to his squad, as he looks to reassert his team’s spot at the top of the Premier League.
Man Utd eye Kim Min-jae
As previously reported by TEAMtalk, Man Utd have been keeping an eye on several centre-backs ahead of the summer window.
The most recent name linked to the Premier League giants is highly-rated Napoli defender Kim Min-jae, who has also attracted the interest of Liverpool and Tottenham Hotspur.
Reputed transfer journalist Ben Jacobs recently revealed that there is no shortage of interest in the South Korea international, so there could be a battle for his services in the coming months.
Jacobs told TEAMtalk: “Clubs looking at centre-backs will inevitably be scouting Kim Min-jae.
“[Napoli boss] Luciano Spalletti has already termed him ‘one of the best centre-backs in the world’ and you only have to look at his form and intelligence and awareness to understand why and there are Premier League clubs looking for sure.
“Manchester United are in a difficult position with that type of player because he sees himself as a starting centre-back and they’ve obviously got Martinez and Varane there. But, other teams are looking to drop somebody straight into their starting lineup.
“Tottenham are another club that have scouted the player and they would be looking to bring in a starting centre-back, as with Liverpool as well.”
Transfermarkt value Min-jae at approximately £35m, however, with three Premier League clubs vying for his signature, Min-jae’s ultimate price tag may end up being closer to £50m.
