Manchester United are reportedly facing stiff competition from Premier League rivals Tottenham Hotspur in pursuit of Sven Botman.
According to a report by Transfer Market Web, Sven Botman continues to capture the attention of some of the biggest clubs in the world. As things stand, Manchester United and Tottenham Hotspur are battling to secure the services of the 21-year-old in the summer transfer window.
Sven Botman progressed through the ranks at Ajax after joining their youth setup in 2009, but he never really made his mark in the first-team squad. And, after a promising loan spell last term with Heerenveen, the 21-year-old was sold to Lille and it is here that he has truly flourished.
Since joining the Ligue 1 outfit, Botman has missed just a couple of games, making 45 appearances across all competitions and played a major role in establishing Les Dogues as the top dog in French football. The player’s progress has certainly not gone unnoticed, with Manchester United and Tottenham being keen on signing him.
Manchester United’s interest in Botman is well informed, considering Victor Lindelof and Eric Bailly have frustrated with their inconsistencies while also being troubled by fitness issues. In addition, Axel Tuanzebe could be on his way out of Old Trafford this summer, either on loan or on a permanent deal, which means it is imperative that the Red Devils bolster their backline.
To that end, Manchester United have been linked with Cristian Romero, Jules Kounde and Raphael Varane, among others. And, Botman is an option worth considering as well, seeing as at 21, he could provide the best years of his career to them lining up alongside Harry Maguire for years to come. As for Tottenham, they need a long-term successor for Toby Alderweireld.
With Davinson Sanchez also facing an uncertain future at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, it is not hard to see why Spurs are eager to sign a centre-back. As a result, Joachim Andersen, who is coincidentally also a target for Manchester United, is one of the names being linked, with Botman a viable option as well.
While a price tag has not been mentioned, the report does suggest that it will take at least triple the amount of the €8 million fee that Lille paid to sign him last summer. For now, Manchester United and Tottenham have Botman in their sights and it will be interesting to see if they can swoop him away from the Ligue 1 outfit this summer.