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Erik ten Hag wants to keep Victor Lindelof at Manchester United.
With the 28-year-old’s contract set to expire next summer, those at Old Trafford are eager to trigger his one-year extension.
Lindelof’s current five-year deal is worth just over £6 million annually, or £120,000 per week, making him only the 13th highest earner on the club’s wage bill.
Ten Hag is now set to offer the centre-back new terms following an impressive end to the season.
The Swedish international arrived from Benfica in 2017 for £31 million but seemed to be heading for the door having struggled to play regular first team football.
Yet Lindelof has started the last 12 games this campaign following a long-term injury to Argentine Lisandro Martinez.
United’s manager has been impressed by the Swede in recent weeks and clearly sees him as part of the club’s immediate plans.
“Victor defended really well over many games in April and May,” Ten Hag explained. “And together with Rapha he is doing great, positioning, coaching, duelling, very good.”
The defender has reciprocated the praise for his manager, explaining that under Ten Hag “Everyone knows exactly what to do on the pitch, we have a system and everyone knows their roles out there, so we’ve played some great football this season.”
Lindelof has also surpassed Harry Maguire in the Old Trafford pecking order, with the Englishman making only 16 Premier League appearances this season.
There have been reports that United are keen to offload Maguire and yet Lindelof is still far from guaranteed regular first team action.
Heading into the summer transfer window, Ten Hag is in the market for a new centre-back, with Napoli’s Kim Min-jae seemingly one of the Dutchman’s preferences.
Many Red Devils fans issued apologies to Lindelof following his run of impressive performances and confessed to “blaming him for Maguire’s mistakes.”
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