Man United learn how much to pay to sign ‘tough tackling' defender - report
Manchester United have one of the poorest defences in the Premier League this season, conceding 37 goals in 26 games.
The defensive department has been affected by the injury to Lisandro Martinez, and they are set to lose Jonny Evans and Victor Lindelof for free next summer.
The club must explore the market for reinforcements to solve their defensive crisis.
They have reportedly expressed interest in RB Leipzig centre-back Castello Lukeba, who is one of the best young centre-backs in the Bundesliga.
Man United scouts have run the rule over the French centre-back, but his valuation may prevent the club from signing him.
According to skysport.ch, United must pay almost £74 million, which is his release clause.
The Red Devils also face competition to sign the Lyon academy graduate, as Liverpool and Chelsea have sent scouts to watch him.
Lukeba has struggled with injuries this season, making just 12 league starts.
Lukeba would be a good fit for Man United
The French youth international can play as the left centre-back in a three-man defence, making him a good fit for manager Ruben Amorim’s defensive set-up.
Described as ‘tough tackling’ by Leipzig’s former managing director for sports, Max Eberl, he would cope with the physical demands of the Premier League.
Despite his aggressive style of play, he has missed just one game due to yellow card accumulation and has yet to receive a red card in his career.
He is a good ball-playing defender. He has averaged 53.1 accurate passes and 2.2 long balls per game in the Bundesliga this season, the second-highest in Leipzig’s squad.
Lukeba also has a good pace and positioning to cope with playing in any defensive formation.
His injury history also makes him a good prospect. He has missed just 17 games since his breakthrough season with Lyon in the 2021/2022 season.
He would be a good addition if United can convince him to join the club ahead of their rivals.
Stats from transfermarkt.com and sofascore.com.
Article written by Henry Thornton .