90% passing: Man Utd must now beat Arsenal to signing £52m RB Leipzig star, not Yan Diomande

Manchester United must beat Arsenal to the signing of RB Leipzig defender Castello Lukeba this summer.

The Red Devils are preparing for a busy summer transfer window, and they could pursue a marquee centre-back as part of the spending spree.

A left-footed solution could be preferred with Lisandro Martinez’s injury record, and we believe Lukeba would be an ideal acquisition for the club.

L’Equipe recently claimed that Arsenal have ‘begun discussions‘ for the 23-year-old, who could be signed for between £52 million and £60 million.

The Frenchman has his sights on moving to the Premier League or La Liga, and the Red Devils must seek to beat the Gunners in the player’s pursuit.

United could have an edge over Arsenal for Lukeba

Martinez started the campaign on the sidelines after a serious knee injury in February last year.

He made his comeback during the festive period and played a big role before an untimely calf injury.

The Argentine has been sidelined for the last three matches, and manager Michael Carrick has also ruled him out for the upcoming clash against Aston Villa.

The experienced defender is poised to return against Bournemouth next weekend, but United need a proper deputy in the squad for the 2026/27 campaign.

United are on course to return to Europe next term, and Martinez’s workload will need to be carefully managed, given he has been susceptible to regular injury setbacks.

Martinez will most certainly feature for Argentina in their World Cup defence this summer, and there is a risk of burnout with regular playing time from the off next season.

Ayden Heaven is still relatively inexperienced at the highest level. Keeping this in mind, Lukeba would be a fantastic addition as a left-footed central defender.

The Frenchman has completed 90 percent of his passes in the Bundesliga this term. He has won 68 percent of his duels alongside 5.5 recoveries and 4.7 clearances per game.

He has traits similar to Martinez’s, with his strong presence in challenges. He would be a good addition to the ranks. United could have an edge over Arsenal in signing him.

If United qualify for the Champions League, they could guarantee him regular playing time in the league and European games in a rotational role over the course of the season.

At Arsenal, William Saliba and Gabriel Magalhaes are nailed-on starters in both competitions when fit.

On top of this, United have a good working relationship with Leipzig, having just signed Benjamin Sesko last summer. Arsenal disagreed on the terms to land the Slovenian ace.

This could also work in the Red Devils’ favour if they enter the race for Lukeba.

United have been linked with Leipzig wonderkid Yan Diomande for several months, but Lukeba could be a better investment given the need for a strong competitor to Martinez.

Stats from Transfermarkt.com & Sofascore.com

Article written by Sri Aswin .