Real Madrid have reportedly entered the race for the signing of Inter Milan defensive mainstay Milan Skriniar who is also a target for Manchester United and Bayern Munich.
According to a report from Spanish publication Fichajes, Real Madrid are set to battle it out with Premier League bigwigs Manchester United for the signing of Inter Milan and Slovakia defender Milan Skriniar.
The 26-year-old has been with Inter Milan since 2017, having arrived from fellow Serie A outfit Sampdoria and has grown into one of the best defenders on show in the Italian top-flight since. To date, Skriniar has racked up 176 appearances for the Nerazzurri scoring nine goals and setting up four more.
Skriniar was an ever-present in the backline for Inter Milan as they ended a decade-long wait for the Serie A title last season. He followed it up with an impressive run at the Euros with Slovakia and has been in solid touch in the new season, even chipping in with a couple of goals in nine matches across all competitions so far.
Skriniar’s growth into one of the most reliable defenders in the Italian first division has not gone unnoticed, with the 26-year-old attracting admirers in large numbers since the summer transfer window. While he ended up staying put at San Siro, things may change in the next year with top clubs continuing to line up to sign him.
⚫️? Top defending by Milan Škriniar ?@Inter_en | #UCL pic.twitter.com/BSmKICvcL0
— UEFA Champions League (@ChampionsLeague) October 1, 2021
Manchester United have had their sights on Skriniar for a while now and may finally be prepared to move in on the 26-year-old in the near future. Indeed, it has even been claimed that the 20-time English champions are ready to throw in out-of-favour midfielder Donny van de Beek as part of a deal to lure Skriniar to Old Trafford.
Manchester United did sign Raphael Varane in the summer transfer window to bolster their defensive unit that already had the likes of Harry Maguire, Victor Lindelof, Eric Bailly, Phil Jones and Axel Tuanzebe. However, Jones seemingly does not have a future at the club while Tuanzebe is open to the prospect of making his switch to Aston Villa permanent.
With Bailly and Lindelof not entirely consistent, someone like Skriniar would definitely be an upgrade for Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s side. However, they will now have to battle Real Madrid for the signing of the Inter Milan defender as per the aforementioned report. Los Blancos lost two defensive stalwarts this summer in the form of Varane and Sergio Ramos.
While David Alaba has come in and become a key member of the team already, he does not have quality partners beyond Eder Militao. Nacho Fernandez has been used out wide by Carlo Ancelotti while Jesus Vallejo does not seem to enjoy the Italian’s faith. So, a new centre-back will be on the agenda for Real Madrid next year, with Skriniar very much on their radar.
In addition, Bayern Munich are also keen on signing the Slovakian international from Inter Milan, setting up for an intriguing transfer battle for his services next year. It will be interesting to see where he ends up, although the report does add that Skriniar prefers a move to the Premier League, which might hand Manchester United an advantage.
