Summary
Manchester United have already made a couple of high-profile additions this summer but it would appear there is still more business to be done. Transfer insider Dean Jones has spoken to GIVEMESPORT about the possibility of a new defender arriving at Old Trafford before the transfer window slams shut.
Is this the man to replace Harry Maguire?
A large amount of the chatter surrounding Manchester United is regarding the future of Harry Maguire.
He no longer wears the captain’s armband for United and the chances of his future lying away from Old Trafford has been building and building.
Complications have arisen with his reported move to West Ham United and Fabrizio Romano has since said that “West Ham want Kostas Mavropanos as new centre back after Harry Maguire deal collapsed.”
Even though Maguire may well be staying put now, Erik ten Hag is on the hunt for another body at the back. As per the MailOnline, Benjamin Pavard of Bayern Munich is the man in question and he himself is actually pushing for a move to Manchester.
Social media had their say on Pavard’s recent Instagram comment, pointing out that it may well be the Frenchman showing his intent. He commented on Raphael Varane’s post following the former Real Madrid man’s winning goal against Wolverhampton Wanderers. Romano has since tweeted that “Pavard [is] pushing with Bayern to make the deal happen” as a result.
Pavard, who has been called an "underrated" player, started at right-back in the German giant’s defeat to RB Leipzig in the DFL Supercup so it’s not as if he is struggling for game time in the Bavarian region. Headlines were made by two players in that game as Harry Kane made his Bayern debut whilst Spaniard Dani Olmo netted a hat-trick to win it for Leipzig.
Bayern will begin their title defence against Werder Bremen on Friday night and so it will be fascinating to see if Pavard features in Thomas Tuchel’s matchday plans.
What is Dean Jones' update?
Transfer insider Dean Jones reveals the plans for Manchester United to GIVEMESPORT regarding the potential signing of a defender.
"They still want Maguire to come to a conclusion and move on. I think we've reached the stage where a centre-back – or at least a defender – is a high priority.
"They want to get someone in that squad that replaces Maguire in there. I think that Pavard seems to be the one that makes most sense to them at this stage, and they are pursuing it."
What else is going on at Manchester United?
As well as the potential addition of a defender, Ten Hag is keen to bring on board another midfielder as reported by The Guardian.
Their new goalkeeper who signed from Inter Milan may not be the only Onana at the club if the Dutch manager gets his wish with United targeting Everton’s Amadou Onana.
The Belgian is into the last year of his contract at Goodison Park and he is of a quality that shouldn’t be embroiled in yet another relegation fight.
Onana is still just 21 and so would be a signing for the present as well as the future, adding to the purchase of Mason Mount who of course arrived from Chelsea earlier in this window.