Manchester United Hold Interest In Chelsea Defender Ben Chilwell
Manchester United are looking to strengthen at left-back before the end of the window if the right opportunity becomes available, and Ben Chilwell is someone the club admires. The Chelsea defender is expected to leave the club should a suitable offer come in after being made available for either a sale or a loan, as the Blue’s continue their exodus of selling some of their assets to make room for their new signings.
The former Leicester City defender signed for Chelsea in 2020 for a fee of £50 million and has had an up-and-down period throughout his Chelsea career. Since winning the Champions League under Thomas Tuchel in 2021, the former England international has struggled for fitness, prompting his club to decide that the best course of action would be to move him on.
United admire Chilwell
United are hoping to add a left-back to the squad before the deadline, with Luke Shaw’s injury issues a huge worry. Shaw is set to miss the opening three games of the season with a calf injury after missing a large chunk of last season with a hamstring issue. Tyrell Malacia has also been out of action for over 16 months with various injury issues, meaning Erik ten Hag currently has no senior left-backs available in his squad.
The club would prefer a short-term stop-gap option, with Harry Amass expected to be the long-term replacement to Luke Shaw. The manager has, however suggested Amass is not ready just yet at 17-years isold, with United unwilling to fast-forward his development just for the sake of it. Elsewhere on the market, Marcos Alonso is an option of interest to the Red’s.
The 33-year-old is a free agent, which may give United exactly what they need in regards to a short-term option. Milos Kerkez is also someone on the list internally, as well as Rayan Ait-Nouri from the Wolves. Both are currently viewed as out of reach, however, with Bournemouth not expected to make a deal easy for Kerkez. We understand Wolves are also viewing Ait-Nouri as not for sale within this window.
Ferdi Kadioglu was also a player Erik ten Hag’s side liked, but the Fenerbache defender is closing in on a move to Brighton. Miguel Gutierrez is someone the club views as a good opportunity, but any deal is made difficult due to his ties to Manchester City, with City Football Group owning Girona. The defender is also admired by Real Madrid and Borussia Dortmund, with Madrid being his preferred destination right now.
Another possible option would be to play Noussair Mazraoui or Diogo Dalot at left-back. Dalot played in that position at times for Erik ten Hag last season, and the new signing from Bayern Munich has also featured as a left-back in the past. United would prefer, however, to get a bona fide option in the position before the season begins, as they search to have two adequate players in every position.
Midfield Remains Priority:
Chilwell’s contract expires in 2027, meaning Chelsea can either demand a fee or accept a loan deal with a potential option to buy. United and Chelsea have a good relationship; they previously negotiated a deal for Mason Mount last summer. United’s main focus at the moment is getting a deal for a midfielder done. Manuel Ugarte is the main target, with the player feeling frustrated by his situation at PSG. United are not currently willing to pay £51 million, which is what the French club is asking for, but talks are continuing with Jorge Mendes currently in the UK to try and make the deal happen.
Sander Berge is another target, with Burnley looking for around £25 million at this moment in time. Berge is viewed as an alternative to Ugarte at the moment, but that could change if United sell some players between now and the end of the window. Scott McTominay, Hannibal, and Christian Eriksen are currently the most likely candidates to leave, with Casemiro fully anticipated to remain at Old Trafford until at least next season.
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