Erik ten Hag has started working for Man United, and touched down in London alongside his trusted Ajax assistant Mitchell van der Gaag this week for meetings over recruitment....CONTINUE READING
United’s backline is a particular area of concern for the new manager. The Red Devils have conceded more goals this season than in any campaign in Premier League history.
A centre-back is considered a priority in the upcoming transfer window.
Lisandro Martinez, the ‘cornerstone’ of Ajax’s defence under the Dutch tactician, has been added to the list of United targets, the Telegraph have reported. The Argentina international is seen as an ideal defender in Ten Hag’s one-v-one defensive approach.
However, before the Premier League giants move for any new central defender, they will have to show the exit doors to some of the current options in that position to ensure the squad balance is in a good shape.
According to transfer expert Fabrizio Romano, United are prepared to let Eric Bailly leave at the end of the season. He has not played a single minute of competitive football this year. But the club would be able to fetch a decent fee with two years still remaining on the 28-year-old’s contract.
Phil Jones is another centre-back for whom United will listen to offers this summer.
Liverpool eyeing another Porto talent after capture of Diaz
According to Portuguese outlet A Bola (h/t Liverpool Echo), Liverpool are interested in signing Otavio from FC Porto, after already raiding them for Luis Diaz in January.
The 27-year-old Portuguese playmaker apparently has a £50million release clause, which is what the Primeira Liga side would want in exchange for his services. He earlier had a £35million buyout clause when the Reds were first linked with him.
But that has gone up in the last year or so. Porto is a factory for producing some of the best talents in world football and it doesn’t come as a surprise that the Reds are going in for seconds after already signing Diaz in January.
The Colombian winger has been absolutely magnificent since coming in, playing a crucial role for Liverpool in some of the biggest games this season. No one can forget his second-leg performance against Villarreal in the UEFA Champions League semi-final where he came on to turn the tie in our favour once again and lead us to a 5-2 aggregate win.
If Otavio signs for the Reds and can replicate even half of the impact Diaz has made so far, we would have a great player on our hands. He is a massive part of Sergio Conceicao’s system, having played 48 games across all competitions this season.
He largely plays as a right-sided midfielder for the Dragoes. And that raises the question of where exactly he can fit in Jurgen Klopp’s system if he does sign for us in the future, but then again, Otavio has also played as an attacking midfielder as well.
Moreover, we can use some competition and/or backup for Mohamed Salah down the right-hand side of the pitch. The Egyptian is one of the best players in the world but can be overworked over the course of a season given how much we rely on him up front.
The aforementioned amount in his release clause doesn’t seem overly exorbitant and the player is very much in the physical prime of his career at the age of 27.
It seems like a move that can benefit the Reds, but it remains to be seen if they actually do move for another playmaker having already sealed a potential deal for Fabio Carvalho from Fulham this summer.
