Premier League giants Manchester United are reportedly keeping tabs on 21-year-old AS Monaco defender Benoit Badiashile.
According to reports in L’Equipe, Manchester United are keeping a close eye on the situation of AS Monaco defender Benoit Badiashile. The 21-year-old French defender impressed for Monaco in the second half of the recently-concluded season and was also being courted by Newcastle United in the January transfer window earlier this year.
The Red Devils are in the transfer market for a central defensive signing. New Manchester United manager Erik ten Hag has identified centre-back as one of the positions in need of reinforcements this summer, and the club are looking at multiple options currently.
The form of Harry Maguire, coupled with Raphael Varane’s inconsistency since joining the club last summer, has forced the Red Devils’ hands into looking for another centre-back just a year after adding the Frenchman to their roster. Phil Jones and Eric Bailly could be on their way out as well, which will leave Manchester United further depleted in the department.
Manchester United have thus entered the summer transfer market with an eye on adding a centre-back and Monaco’s 21-year-old French defender Benoit Badiashile has emerged as an option. The youngster has made 119 appearances for the Ligue 1 side since debuting for their first team in the 2018/19 season.
Though a hamstring injury forced him to miss a good chunk of the 2021/22 season, Badiashile still managed to impress after gaining full fitness in the second half of the season. He still has a year remaining on his Monaco contract, and it is still unclear whether the Ligue 1 side will let him leave this summer.
As for Manchester United, they are ‘very attentive’ to Badiashile’s situation in France but are still some way from making an official move. The player himself is not eager to force a move away from the club as manager Philippe Clement has shown confidence in his abilities.
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Manchester United have also been linked with a move for Ajax defender Jurrien Timber. Ten Hag is eager to reunite with Timber at Old Trafford, and he is believed to be the club’s number one centre-back target for the upcoming summer transfer window.
