Manchester United are searching for a defensive midfielder this summer and they are likely to speed up the process ahead of the new Premier League season.
Paris Saint-Germain’s Manuel Ugarte seemed the priority target last month, but it was reported yesterday that the club won’t proceed with a formal bid for him.
The Red Devils have no plans of meeting the £51.5 million price tag. They are prepared to look at alternative options to bolster the holding midfield department.
In our view, the club should consider an approach for Monaco star Youssouf Fofana, who is widely expected to be sold with his contract expiring next summer.
The Frenchman has already been identified as one of the alternative choices for United and it has been claimed that he could be available for around £30 million.
AC Milan agreed personal terms with the midfielder earlier this summer, but they were put off from securing a deal after Monaco’s decision to hike the valuation.
Atletico and United were mentioned as the reason behind. The Red Devils could have a clear run at signing him with Atletico set to land Chelsea’s Conor Gallagher.
The former Strasbourg man was on the radar of Premier League clubs last summer. Nottingham Forest and Fulham wanted to sign him, but he preferred to stay at Monaco.
He will choose a new club in the current transfer window. Fofana would be a solid acquisition for United with his strong defensive skills and tireless work rate from midfield.
The 25-year-old won 50 percent of his duels in Ligue 1 last season with 7.2 recoveries and 1.9 tackles per game. He also completed 60 percent of his take-ons for Monaco.
Fofana lags behind Ugarte (91 percent) with a passing accuracy of only 82 percent, but he makes up for it with the ability to quickly cover ground when out of possession.
The Frenchman does not have the same strengths as Ugarte who is a better tackler and distributor, but he would be a good alternative and an upgrade on Casemiro.
Stats from Sofascore.com
