Manchester United are set to enter into a battle with Chelsea for the signature of a defender who has won the Premier League five times in his career at another rival club.
While a defender might not seem like it’s at the top of the food chain at Manchester United this season in terms of recruitment policy, market opportunities always arise, and United, like they did with Leny Yoro last season, are likely to try and take advantage of them.
The defence is arguably the most solid part of the team at the moment for Ruben Amorim. However, improvements could still be made, particularly due to Victor Lindelöf leaving and Jonny Evans retiring. This means the position is two players down when compared with last season.
United are eyeing another striker after hopefully wrapping up the Bryan Mbeumo deal, and a midfielder is also anticipated to be on the radar to partner Bruno Fernandes in the midfield.
The club has eyes on a defender who has played for a huge rival of Manchester United in the past, with reports circulating that the Spaniard could leave Saudi Arabia this summer in search of a new challenge.
Manchester United eye Laporte deal
According to Spanish outlet El Chiringuito, United and Chelsea are eyeing a move for Aymeric Laporte, with rumours flying that the French-born Spanish defender will return to Europe this summer after a period with Al Nassr in Saudi Arabia.
Laporte has been playing alongside Cristiano Ronaldo for the last two years but has been largely tipped to leave the Saudi Pro League, with his former club, Athletic Bilbao, also reportedly eyeing a potential deal for the player.
A move for Laporte, who has won the Premier League five times with Manchester City, would be viewed as a bargain amongst many in the market.
The Spain international was once one of the most coveted defenders in the country while he played in England, and his experience could be a valuable asset in a dressing room.
United have cover in defensive areas, but creating that winning mentality at the club would require recruiting players who have done just that, won big things on the biggest stages.
Laporte may be a clever deal for United
This could be a clever signing for United, provided the player is willing to take a significant pay cut to return to Europe. INEOS are attempting to deploy a wage structure at the club that is significantly healthier than the past, and signing a 31-year-old on major wages goes against instilling that ethos within the club.
Laporte had previous concerns about his injury record, but over the last two seasons, he has managed to stay relatively fit, missing just six games last season due to a hamstring injury.
It will be interesting to see what the club decides to do, with a midfielder and a striker definitely the two most pressing issues to address this summer, after a potential deal for Mbeumo.
Ruben Amorim wants as strong a squad as possible going into the first matchday of the 2025/26 season, and spotting market opportunities like Aymeric Laporte could go a long way towards making that a high possibility.
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