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A defensive clearout is on the cards at Manchester United ahead of next season as manager Erik ten Hag looks to trim a bloated squad while adding quality in certain areas.
As many as six defenders are on the chopping block. Club captain Harry Maguire and Victor Lindelof are both looking to leave after being dissatisfied with the minutes they have got this season.
Fringe stars like Axel Tuanzebe and Phil Jones are also expected to be let go along with Eric Bailly and Alex Telles, both of whom are currently out on loan.
United’s defensive clearout
Such a drastic culling will mean that the Red Devils need to recruit more bodies in central defence as they look to build a squad with enough depth and quality.
One superstar who has been linked with a move to Old Trafford is Napoli’s Kim Min-jae. The South Korean has been a revelation this season, keeping 14 clean sheets in 27 games in Serie A.
Not even the most ardent Napoli fan could have envisaged such a performance from their defence after the loss of former talisman Kalidou Koulibaly.
The 26-year-old’s combative displays and the presence of a €50million release clause have alerted Europe’s elites to his services.
United have been one of the teams who have been strongly linked with a move for the South Korean and now it seems arch-rivals Liverpool have also entered the race.
Liverpool vs United for Kim
“According to our information, the possibility of joining Liverpool with the status of indisputable quasi-holder is an option not to be overlooked and this is clearly the subject of debate within the Kim Min-jae clan,” Foot Mercato have claimed.
The Peoples Person had recently reported that French giants Paris Saint-Germain were also monitoring a move for Kim.
The Serie A leaders had brought the centre-back to Italy for €18million and are looking at making a huge profit when they do eventually move him on.
Napoli owner Aurelio De Laurentiis is open to selling him but for the right price and the club are hoping a bidding war ensues so that they can drive the price up even further.
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