Man Utd boss Erik ten Hag could be willing to sell a regular squad member (Image: Getty)
Manchester United are reportedly looking to offload one of Erik ten Hag’s most reliable squad members to raise funds for the Dutchman to spend this summer. The Red Devils are said to be willing to part ways with long-serving defender Victor Lindelof as Ten Hag aims to bolster his backline ahead of the new Premier League campaign.
Lindelof made 28 appearances for the club in all competitions last season, his lowest total since arriving at the club seven years ago.
He spent two separate periods on the sidelines due to injury, but otherwise has been utilised as backup to Harry Maguire, Raphael Varane and Lisandro Martinez.
Lindelof has less than a year left to run on the £120,000-a-week contract he signed in 2019. With time running out to cash in on the Sweden international, United are ready to consider offers for the centre-back.
Man Utd defender Victor Lindelof could be on his way out of the club (Image: Getty)
Under the club’s new recruitment strategy, INEOS chief Sir Jim Ratcliffe has instructed all players with a year left on their contracts to be sold to boost the club’s transfer budget. Mason Greenwood is set to complete his move to Marseille, while Facundo Pellistri, Aaron Wan-Bissaka and Scott McTominay could all depart.
United have already triggered the one-year extension clause option written into Lindelof’s contract to prevent him from leaving on a free transfer. But the club are likely to take a huge loss on the £38million transfer fee paid to Benfica to sign him in 2017.
According to the Manchester Evening News, sources within the club say they are ‘trying hard’ to flog the defender this summer to pave the way for new arrivals, with talks ongoing for Bayern Munich star Matthijs de Ligt and a bid rejected for Everton’s Jarrad Branthwaite.
United have already decided to release Varane this summer and are set to sell 19-year-old Willy Kambwala to Villarreal in an £8.5m deal. However, Lindelof may still head for the exit if the club receive a sufficient transfer bid.
It was reported in June that Turkish giants Fenerbahce made contact to enquire about Lindelof’s availability, with his former boss Jose Mourinho keen for a reunion in Istanbul. But the Super Lig outfit are only keen on signing Lindelof if he is allowed to terminate his contract a year early.
Lindelof was among the senior squad members to report for pre-season on Monday, while Maguire has returned to pre-season training after recovering from a muscle injury. Veteran defender Jonny Evans, 36, signed a new one-year deal on Friday to prolong his stay.
Source: https://www.express.co.uk/sport/football/1922929/man-utd-transfer-news-lindelof-ten-hag