Premier League giants Manchester United and Tottenham Hotspur are reportedly involved in a transfer battle for Inter Milan defender Milan Skriniar.
According to La Gazzetta dello Sport, Inter Milan centre-back Milan Skriniar is high on the priority lists of Manchester United and Tottenham Hotspur, both of whom are expected to move in for him this summer. The Nerazzurri, on the other hand, are aware of interest from the Premier League clubs and are preparing a contract extension for the 27-year-old Slovakian defender.
Skriniar has been an integral part of the Inter Milan defence since joining them from Sampdoria in 2017. The 27-year-old, along with Stefan de Vrij, formed a solid partnership at the heart of the defence as the club won the Serie A title in the 2020/21 season under the tutelage of Antonio Conte.
Though the Italian tactician moved on and is now managing Tottenham Hotspur, the defender stayed put and continued serving Inter. He will enter the final year of his contract after the ongoing season, but talks of a possible contract renewal are doing the rounds. Skriniar accepted in March this year that the club were happy with his performances and could offer him a new deal.
“My contract runs out in 2023, but I think I’ll stay longer. I imagine that club directors are happy and want to offer me a new deal,” he said as per Football Italia.
But Manchester United and Tottenham will continue to push the Serie A champions for Skriniar’s signature. While Manchester United have been interested in the 27-year-old defender for a couple of windows now, Tottenham have entered the fray since Conte joined them.
Both Manchester United and Tottenham are currently involved in a race for top four, but are eager to improve their squads this summer. In Skriniar, they will get a battle-hardened defender who has proven himself at the top stage. And at 27 years of age, he still has several years of top-level football left in him.
With the impending arrival of a new manager at Old Trafford, Manchester United are looking for a fresh start and have identified Skriniar as a signing that could take them forward. On the other hand, Conte is short on quality centre-backs and has set sights on his former protege. As things stand, Serie A champions Inter Milan are well-placed to keep hold of the 27-year-old.
