Pranav Nair
Manchester United keen to beat Liverpool to Ibrahima Konate
According to Eurosport (h/t The Daily Mail), Manchester United are looking to hijack Liverpool’s attempt to land RB Leipzig ace Ibrahima Konate.
It is no secret that the Red Devils are on the lookout for a new central defender as we go into the summer transfer window. We have tracked not only Konate but also his Leipzig partner Dayot Upamecano.
While we have missed out on Upamecano to Bayern Munich, Konate is available for now.
The young Frenchman may not get the same appreciation as Upamecano but is in his own right a capable defender. Available for a reasonable £33m, Konate represents value for money.
While United have been keeping tabs on the player for a while, Liverpool looked to have taken the lead by making a bid for the player. A deal, however, is far from done, leaving us with an opportunity to crash the party.
Ole Gunnar Solskjaer is keen to bring in a dependable partner for Harry Maguire. With Victor Lindelof and Eric Bailly struggling with both form and fitness, he cannot afford to put it off any further.
Bailly has just one year left on his current deal and is frustrated at a lack of opportunities at the club. Inter Milan are keeping tabs on him and it remains to be seen if United will cash in.
If the Ivorian leaves, the Red Devils will have no option but to bring in another defender fast. Some of the names on the list include Raphael Varane Jules Kounde. But Konate appears to be the preferred target. (h/t The Daily Mail)
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Liverpool too are looking to strengthen their defence and are keen to wrap up a deal for Konate before the window opens. Given their track record of quickly getting deals over the line, United cannot afford to take it easy.
If we are truly serious about signing Konate, a concentrated effort has to be made to sign him at the first given opportunity.
