A defensive revamp is seemingly in the offing at Manchester United. After the club elected not to exercise their option to extend his deal by a further year, Raphael Varane is out of contract in the summer, and the same can be said for Jonny Evans. Meanwhile, Harry Maguire and Victor Lindelof are both for sale if United receive a reasonable offer.
As such, we expect to see multiple incomings this year, with Bayern Munich's Matthijs de Ligt already emerging as a prime target. De Ligt, who played under Erik ten Hag at Ajax, has grown frustrated with his situation at Bayern, and Bayern bosses will likely let him leave for a suitable fee. United are watching developments "closely" from afar.
Another potential target is Juventus' Gleison Bremer, with reports in Italy this week revealing naming him as a target. United have apparently taken "concrete steps" to establish whether he'd be open to joining, and he's said to be receptive to the idea.
United lining up meeting with Juventus over Bremer
Now, according to Tuttosport, via Sport Witness, Manchester United are planning to hold a meeting with Juventus to discuss a possible deal for Bremer. The Bianconeri have apparently made it clear at the outset that they won't be willing to do business for less than £60m.
Ten Hag has set out a clear checklist for major defensive signings and Bremer is seen as the "ideal" fit, so we now wait to see whether the upcoming discussions between the two clubs prove to be productive.
"Wrecking ball" Bremer has what it takes for Man Utd
Ironically, Juventus' £35m deal for Bremer in 2022 was actually a response to De Ligt's move to Bayern Munich, and the Old Lady have clearly been pleased by what they've seen so far. The Brazilian has made 66 appearances overall, and boasts a 100% starting record in Serie A this season.
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ByHenry Jackson
Football Daily's Dougie Critchley summed up his playing style when he described him as a "one-man wrecking ball", and the stats prove it. Fourth in Serie A this season for successful aerial duels (62), and fifth for fouls committed (34), it's clear that he's an aggressive player who doesn't hesitate to impose his physical power on opponents.
Bremer is one of the most highly-regarded centre-backs in Italian football, having been named Serie A's Best Defender in 2021/22 and made the team of the year last season too (below).
GK
Wojciech Szczesny
Juventus
DEF
Giovanni Di Lorenzo
Napoli
DEF
Gleison Bremer
Juventus
DEF
Kim Min-jae
Napoli
DEF
Theo Hernandez
Milan
MID
Sandro Tonali
Milan
MID
Adrien Rabiot
Juventus
MID
Nicolo Barella
Inter
FWD
Khvicha Kvaratskhelia
Napoli
FWD
Rafael Leao
Milan
FWD
Victor Osimhen
Napoli
It's hard to argue with a £60m price tag for the 26-year-old, who remains under contract for another four-and-a-half-years. Whether he arrives alongside or instead of De Ligt, he'd be an excellent addition for the Red Devils as they look to return to the Premier League title picture.