Manchester United could allegedly move for Barcelona centre-half Samuel Umtiti during this summer’s transfer market if they are unable to seal a deal for Real Madrid’s Raphael Varane.
Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s team are expected to be in the market for a new central defender ahead of the 2021-22 season, and Varane has been strongly linked with a switch to Old Trafford.
However, according to a recnet report from the Manchester Evening News, the Red Devils view Samuel as a potential alternative in the event that the club are unable to sign the Los Blancos defender.
The report states that Umtiti is expected to be available for transfer in the summer, having struggled for regular action during the 2020-21 campaign, while Ronald Koeman’s side are interested in trimming their wage budget in the coming months because of the financial impact of the COVID-19 outbreak.
The 27-year-old star has missed a lot of football this term due to a knee problem, making just 14 appearances across all competitions (La Liga, Copa del Rey, Champions League) for the Catalan club.
Manchester United’s fellow Premier League giants Liverpool are also understood to be exploring the possibility of signing the ex-Lyon academy graduate this summer.
