Manchester United and Arsenal are reportedly set to go head-to-head with each other in pursuit of Atletico Madrid defender Jose Gimenez.
According to a report by TransferMarketWeb, Jose Gimenez’s time at Atletico Madrid is coming to an end and he could be on his way to the Premier League in the summer transfer window. Arsenal and Manchester United are interested in the Uruguayan defender, who could be available for €55 million.
Gimenez’s star has constantly been on the rise since he joined Atletico Madrid from Danublo in the summer of 2013 as an 18-year-old. After taking some time to establish himself within Diego Simeone’s first-team setup, the player has become a key member for Los Rojiblancos.
Gimenez had to bide his time to become a mainstay at the back this season as well, but is now a first-choice defender alongside Diego Godin for Atletico, making 32 appearances across all competitions. But, his future at the Wanda Metropolitano is uncertain, with Manchester United heavily linked with a summer move for him.
The Red Devils have now been joined Premier League rivals Arsenal in pursuit of the Uruguay international, with the Gunners reportedly set to go all out for a centre-back this summer. At Manchester United, the need to sign a centre-back has propped up of late, with Jose Mourinho unhappy with his side’s defensive output.
Injuries have forced the Manchester United boss into a lot of chopping and changing, which has resulted in a lot of instability at the back, especially with Victor Lindelof taking time to settle in England. On top of that, Phil Jones and Chris Smalling are reportedly facing the axe from Mourinho, making Gimenez a viable long-term solution at Old Trafford.
Arsenal, on the other hand, are set for a major squad revamp this summer after falling way behind their title rivals. Defence, and central defence in particular, seems to be a priority for the Gunners, and for good reason.
Per Mertesacker is set to hang up his boots at the end of the season, while Shkodran Mustafi and Laurent Koscielny have blown hot and cold for large parts of the campaign. Youngsters Rob Holding and Calum Chambers haven’t shown the ability to become first-choice defenders yet for Arsenal, thereby making the Atletico Madrid man an ideal target to bolster the backline.
The 23-year-old won’t cost a bomb, by current standards, either, with the report suggesting that he could be available for €55 million in the summer. The figure shouldn’t pose much of a problem for either Arsenal or Manchester United.
But, if the player becomes available in the transfer market this summer, more clubs could emerge in his competition, with Juventus and Tottenham also keeping tabs on his situation. It now remains to be seen if Gimenez makes his way to England to join either Arsenal or Manchester United, or if some other side swoops him away instead.
