Bharath Rammr
Manchester United News
Victor Lindelof has dismissed suggestions of an ulterior motive when he signed on a Manchester United shirt given by a fan. The incident, which occurred just before the start of the January transfer window, was a huge reason behind the Swedish defender being heavily linked with a move to United. It was believed that United were close to completing a £38 million move for the defender only for Jose Mourinho to pull out of a potential deal at the last moment. The performances of players like Phil Jones and Marcos Rojo were enough to convince the Portuguese manager against an expensive move.
Even though Lindelof did not join United, rumours have persisted about the player making the switch to Old Trafford in the summer. He has opened up for the first time about shirt signing fiasco, which played a huge role in increasing the speculation about a move to Old Trafford. He said:
“I signed all the shirts. There were all kinds of teams and different shirts. I did not think about it. It was quite a long queue there but I heard that [it was talked about a lot]. It was just a fun thing.”
Lindelof recently moved to secure his long-term future with Benfica by signing a long-term contract with the club. He has been an impressive player for the Portuguese outfit this season. Benfica have certainly profited from his presence, and they have been able to top the Portuguese league this season. Even though he has signed a contract with Benfica until the summer of 2021, rumours will not die down even in the summer. United are expected to be in the market for a new right back, and they would like this player to be capable of playing even in the centre back positions.
Even though Lindelof is a centre back by trade, he is also capable of filling in on the right back spots. This would be crucial in the eyes of Manchester United, as the club are concerned about the longevity of Antonio Valencia. The Ecuadorian has been a central figure in the United first-team since joining the club in 2009, but his time at the top may soon be coming to an end with the player crossing 30. However, it did not prevent United from offering a contract extension to the player, who will now remain at Old Trafford until the summer of 2018.
Luke Shaw, though, seems unlikely to stay at Old Trafford. He has made just one league start in 2017 and the player does not seem to be in the plans of manager Jose Mourinho. However, Lindelof will not be a direct replacement for Shaw, who is a marauding left back.
Lindelof is now in line to make his 12th appearance for the Swedish National team when they take on Belarus in a World Cup qualifier on Saturday.
