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Manchester United are expecting to sell Harry Maguire in the next few days, but not before they secure a replacement for their former captain.
The England international is on the cusp of a move to West Ham, having agreed personal terms after The Red Devils accepted a £30m offer on Friday.
United have been linked with a number of name and, as reported by The Peoples Person, saw a bid for Bayern Munich stalwart Benjamin Pavard turned down.
A follow-up bid is likely, but the World Cup winner is not Erik ten Hag’s only option in central defence.
The likes of Jean-Clair Todibo of OGC Nice, Marc Guehi of Crystal Palace, Edmond Tapsoba of Bayer 04 Leverkusen have all been linked over the last week.
And now another name has emerged, with journalist Rudy Galetti telling GiveMeSport that Man United are considering an approach for AC Milan defender Fikayo Tomori.
The former Chelsea man has gone from strength to strength since moving abroad. Last term he helped his team to a Champions League semi-final, a season after securing the Serie A title. He even earned the nickname ‘The Wall’ during that title-winning campaign.
Regular followers of Italian or English football will know all too well how quick off the mark he is, and that speed could make him an ideal addition to a high-line defence. Still just 25 years of age, Tomori’s best years are ahead of him and he could take over from Raphael Varane in the long run.
But there are a couple of issues. For one thing, Tomori is contracted to Milan until 2027, having signed an extension one year ago.
That would allow the Rossoneri to command a huge fee for the defender. While United are depending on outgoings to bring players in, it is highly unlikely that they would be able to scrape together the funds necessary to convince Milan to part ways with Tomori.
Also, Tomori may well be a good defender playing at a high standard, but he is arguable outclassed – or soon to be – by most of the other names United have been linked with.
Todibo and Guehi might not be quite there yet, but both have a number of standout physical and technical attributes and are sure to improve with experience, each having a couple of years of youth that the man in Milan has already spent.
Top of the pile, however, sits Benjamin Pavard. As previously mentioned, United are expected to make another approach for the Frenchman and it is difficult to fault Erik ten Hag’s reasoning behind prioritising a serial winner in the last year of his contract who seems desperate to play at Old Trafford.
