Arsenal and Manchester United have reportedly set their sights on signing 25-year-old English right-back Kyle Walker-Peters from Southampton.
According to The Athletic, Kyle Walker-Peters continues to gather admirers from across the Premier League in the summer transfer window. Arsenal and Manchester United are closely monitoring the situation of the 25-year-old right-back at Southampton ahead of the 2022/23 season.
Kyle Walker-Peters is a Tottenham academy product and made his debut for the Lilywhites nearly half a decade ago. But the English defender struggled to establish a foothold in the first-team setup at the north London club before joining Southampton for the second half of the 2019/20 season.
The 25-year-old was impressive during his loan stint, compelling Southampton to sign him permanently two years ago. And Walker-Peters has gone from strength to strength since then, establishing himself as one of the best full-backs in the Premier League. The player’s progress has now captured the attention of Arsenal and Manchester United.
Arsenal signed Takehiro Tomiyasu to bolster the right-back berth last summer, with the Japanese international immediately establishing himself as the first-choice right-back. But with Hector Bellerin keen on leaving permanently, Arsenal will need to bring in a top-class replacement.
Walker-Peters has thus emerged as a viable target for Arsenal, who can utilise Tomiyasu and the 25-year-old efficiently in a long and gruelling season. But the north Londoners need to fend off stiff competition from Manchester United to land the English right-back in the summer transfer window.
Manchester United will have to delve into the market for a right-back this summer amid rising uncertainties surrounding the future of Aaron Wan-Bissaka. The Red Devils are reportedly ready to cash in on the former Crystal Palace right-back, even though he is currently on their pre-season tour to Asia. Walker-Peters, though, is an option worth considering for Manchester United.
Apart from Arsenal and Manchester United, Walker-Peters is also a target for Everton this summer. Meanwhile, Manchester United prospect Brandon Williams has popped up on the radar of Southampton. Such a development gives the Red Devils a window of opportunity to pounce, possibly by offering Williams in the deal to sign Walker-Peters ahead of Arsenal.
