Manchester United are reportedly on their way to land Benfica defender Victor Lindelof in a £35million deal.
According to a report by Record, the Swede will ink a long-term contract at Old Trafford after terms between both clubs were agreed upon. United will pay approximately £30million up front for Lindelof, followed by £5million installments if he achieves certain targets.
The Red Devils have been eyeing Lindelof for quite some time now as Jose Mourinho is scanning the markets for quality defenders to add to his squad.
Lindelof has managed to establish himself as one of the prime targets among defenders as several Premier League clubs look to bolster their defensive forces ahead of the new season.
Lindelof broke into Benfica’s starting XI in January only because of an injury crisis. His stunning performances ensured that he played every minute of the club’s remaining 14 league games as they marched on to win the Portuguese league title.
The dominant centre-back has also managed to pick up 11 caps for Sweden and started all three of their group games at Euro 2016.
In the last season, Lindelof recorded 32 appearances and even netted a goal in one of them. He has also created five chances for goals, which goes to show that he is adept at surging forward during counter-attacks. That is something Mourinho would love in a defender.
The 22-year-old also has a 90 percent pass accuracy and that can only be beneficial for United.
United have their own share of problem areas to work upon but defence was not exactly a concern under Jose Mourinho. If anything, United’s number of draws prove that defensively they were stronger than ever.
However, with Phil Jones likely to move out of the club this summer and Chris Smalling set to follow, the Red Devils need quality additions in their back-line and Lindelof can actually prove to be an ideal companion for Eric Bailly.
Marcos Rojo and Daley Blind will also be available to Mourinho, and that will be helpful for the Portuguese manager when United will need to rotate their players to cope with the challenges of the Premier League as well as Champions League.