Bharath Rammr
Manchester United News
Manchester United defender Daley Blind looks like being one of the high-profile casualties in the summer, as Jose Mourinho is reportedly keen on letting the Dutchman leave in order to free up space in the squad. Blind was brought in by former boss Louis van Gaal for £14 million. Signed from Ajax, the Dutchman was expected to provide incredible versatility to the Manchester United defence. It has indeed been the case with Blind featuring in almost every position across the back. However, he has not been able to secure a first-team spot especially after the arrival of Jose Mourinho in the summer.
Earning around £130,000 per week, Blind has a contract with the club until the summer of 2018. Even though he has less than 18 months left on his deal, there has been no new contract offer on the table. It is seen as a clear sign that Manchester United are not interested in retaining Blind. The club could be interested in discussing potential terms with interested parties should an offer in the summer. Blind will find no shortage of offers as he remains as one of the top international defenders around. At 26 years of age, he still has a lot to offer for any club that he signs.
United, though, are becoming increasingly keen on replacing Blind with Swedish defender Victor Lindelof. Recent reports claimed that United have a pre-contract agreement with Benfica for the transfer of Lindelof in the summer. The deal was expected to be completed just before the January transfer window, but Jose Mourinho reportedly pulled off from the deal after seeing his team perform exceptionally well. Now, however, the Portuguese manager is regretting the inability to have brought Lindelof back in January. A fixture pileup means that United have no option but to continue with Anthony Valencia in the right back, as there are few players capable of stepping in place of the Ecuadorian.
Blind has had a reasonable number of first-team appearances this season. He has featured in 15 Premier league games from the start, while being a regular in the cup competitions. He has featured in 26 games across all competitions. Since joining United, he has made 75 appearances in all competitions and scored four goals. Fans are unlikely to be saddened by the departure of Blind, has the Dutch international has not made the biggest impact at Old Trafford.
Manchester United chief executive Ed Woodward recently claimed that the club will not be bringing in a huge turnover of players in the summer transfer window. However, it does not mean that the club are not interested in improving the quality. Blind could be one of the departures of the summer.
