Dayot Upamecano is reportedly ready for a move away from RB Leipzig and prefers a Premier League switch, where Manchester United lead Arsenal in his pursuit.
According to a report by Spanish publication SPORT, Dayot Upamecano could be on his way out of RB Leipzig, with a transfer to a Manchester United on the cards. The French defender has also been the subject of interest from Arsenal, among other clubs.
The youngster is one of the hottest defensive prospects in the world and has already made a name for himself in the transfer market. Valued at £55 million, Upamecano is courted by some of the biggest clubs in Europe including Barcelona, PSG, Bayern Munich, Arsenal and Manchester United.
Upamecano moved to RB Leipzig from sister club Red Bull Salzburg in January 2017 after several notable performances in Austria. In his first full season in the Bundesliga, the Frenchman managed only 5 clean sheets in 15 games, but has been the face of an impressive defence this season.
Arsenal are one of the clubs that have tried to secure the services of the 21-year-old; all in vain, however. Their defensive woes have been the highlight of their campaigns for several years, but the Gunners have been defending better since the arrival of Mikel Arteta. Having said that, Arsenal can still do with a quality addition at the heart of the defence.
A move to Manchester, where Manchester United are interested, may attract Upamecano more compared to Arsenal, probably. Signing Harry Maguire and Aaron Wan Bissaka has strengthened the Red Devils’ defence quite a bit, but Victor Lindelof’s place in the team is a bit too safe right now, and Manchester United signing Upamecano would add the right kind of competition for the Swede.
Barcelona, too, seem keen to get the 21-year-old’s signature as they fear an overhaul might be due next season given their ageing squad. His composure on and off the ball fits their style of play rather perfectly. Moreover Sporting Director, Eric Abidal, seems to have a liking for French players and Upamecano will feel right at home in Barcelona.
Even though Upamecano’s contract will end in 2021, he might still cost upwards of his release clause, given his age and very high ceiling. Because of that, Premier League clubs have an edge over other teams due to the potential loss they will have to sustain due to the suspension of football amid the coronavirus pandemic.
Manchester City could make good use of this situation with the help of their enormous funds. The player suits the team and a French centre-back duo would bring in a lot of chemistry that’s clearly missing in their defence.
Julian Nagglesman and RB Leipzig could be forced to offload one of his best players for not a lot of cash in order to avoid letting him go for free next year. Both Manchester United and Manchester City would fancy their chances of securing the services of the centre half ahead of Arsenal, but there is still a lot of drama left to unfold in the player’s future.
