Bharath Rammr
Manchester United have been heavily linked with a move for Benfica’s young sensation Victor Lindelof. The 22-year-old is believed to be the primary transfer target for a manager José Mourinho, as he attempts to rebuild a club that is struggling to get results even after spending more than £150 million in the summer players like Paul Pogba and Henrikh Mkhitaryan.
The player’s agent, though, has categorically denied the possibility of a move, as he believes that Benfica are the best possible destination for the player at the moment. And Mirror reports that he has even gone on to reveal that Benfica are considering the possibility of a new contract for the player.
“There are many speculations regarding Lindelof’s future but he plays in one of the best European clubs already.
“There are many clubs interested in what Benfica are doing, but we are on very good terms with the president and we’ll decide Lindelof’s future together with the club.
“They will decide if he deserves a contract extension.”
Even though the player still has a contract with the club until the summer of 2020, Benfica thought to be considering a new contract for the player in order to place a release clause in excess of £50 million. Such a transfer would make Victor Lindelof the most expensive defender in the world.
Lindelof has been made as a transfer target to play alongside Eric Bailly, as José Mourinho is reportedly unhappy with his current complement of centre backs like Chris Smalling and Marcos Rojo. Results have been extremely poor for the three-time European champions, who have taken only 21 points from the opening 14 matches. The 1-1 draw with Everton on Sunday raised further questions about the United squad, as it was the third consecutive score in the Premier league with a similar scoreline for the Red Devils.
Victor Lindelof is a Swedish youngster who has been with the Portuguese outfit since 2012. Benfica managed to sign him from Västerås SK when he was just a youth team player. The investment in the 22-year-old has certainly not gone wrong, as he is now valued in excess of £60 million by the Portuguese outfit. The centre back is capable of playing in the right full-back position and he would offer incredible flexibility.
One of the primary reasons United were confident about getting Lindelof was the presence of Zlatan Ibrahimovic. The Swedish star joined United on a one-year contract but it was recently revealed that his contract would be extended by another year and he would be able to convince Lindelof of a move to Old Trafford.
Now, though, the admission from the player’s agent comes as a major blow, but United are unlikely to give up on the chase for the player. It is certain that he would leave Benfica at some stage in his career, and United may be ready to pounce.
