Rijo Sam Daniel
Manchester United join AC Milan in transfer race to sign Lille star Sven Botman
According to transfer guru Gianluca Di Marzio (h/t The Sun), Manchester United have entered the pursuit to sign Lille star Sven Botman on a potential transfer amidst interest from AC Milan. He has been one of the strong pillars for his side in their rise to the top in recent years and was an integral part of the run to winning the Ligue 1 title in the 2020-21 season.
Man United are assessing the market for defensive options that can bolster their struggling backline ahead of the next campaign. They have turned their attention towards Botman, who has become one of the most coveted centre-backs in world football in the summer transfer window. However, they will need to deal with Tottenham Hotspur, who have joined the race alongside them as well.
Milan have already been in the mix for quite some time as they look to solidify their backline after winning the Scudetto last season. They are not alone, though, as Newcastle United have been pursuing him for a while now following a failed £30million transfer attempt back in January.
Botman to Man Utd?
Looking at our competition in this transfer race, Milan appear to be the biggest challenger, especially since they have become a title contender as of now. Spurs follow suit as they look to be on the rise under Antonio Conte and can even offer Champions League football after piping us to the top-four spot in the Premier League.
Then again, Newcastle are no pushovers either following their rapid rise from the relegation spots under the new management. In fact, Botman himself has previously admitted that a move to St. James’ Park is attractive since they could become the next Manchester City or Paris Saint-Germain.
In such a case, we cannot take anyone lightly at this moment, although it looks like the Serie A champions are falling short at this instant. That is because they are unwilling to meet the valuation of between £34million and £38million for the Dutch centre-half’s signature.
That certainly boosts our chances of facilitating a move for the 22-year-old, although Tottenham and the Magpies would still pose a stern challenge indeed. We must do our best to get a foothold in this pursuit looking at our desperation to bring in central defenders this summer.
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After all, Axel Tuanzebe and Eric Bailly are expected to leave Old Trafford this summer, while Phil Jones is also subjected to transfer interest from several clubs. That alone would free up spots in our backline, which prompts the need to sign Botman to have a good depth in terms of the available options.
