Manchester United and Aston Villa are set to battle it out for the services of 23-year-old defender Mohammed Salisu.
According to Football Insider, Manchester United and Aston Villa are keen on having Mohammed Salisu in their ranks. The 23-year-old has been a consistent performer for Southampton over the past few seasons. And, a lot of clubs have their eyes set on him.
Real Valladolid spotted Salisu while he was at the African Talent Football Academy. The Spanish club signed him in the summer of 2017. The 23-year-old has gone from strength to strength since arriving in Europe. Salisu went up the ranks as Valladolid and was promoted to their first team in 2019.
After impressive performances for the Spanish club, Southampton managed to strike a deal for the defender in 2020. Since arriving in the Premier League, the 23-year-old has made 80 appearances for the Saints. As far as the ongoing season is concerned, he has featured in 28 matches.
Salisu’s current contract with the Saints ends in the summer of 2024. While Southampton are keen on extending his contract, they have not tasted success yet. With just over 15 months left, Southampton might be forced to sell him in the upcoming window as they are not ready to lose out on him for free.
The relegation-threatened club might accept a fee of around £25 million for the 23-year-old centre-back. And several clubs are keen on securing his services. Meanwhile, Manchester United and Aston Villa are both keen on having him in their ranks.
Erik ten Hag has done wonders at Manchester United since arriving in the summer. The Red Devils have already won a trophy and are still in the race for a few more. They are all set to return to the UEFA Champions League next season. But, the Dutch manager believes that they are in need of a few signings before they kick start the next season.
Ten Hag is keen on having a new centre-back. With Harry Maguire’s future at the club uncertain, the Red Devils want to land Salisu at the club. The Southampton centre-back would be a great fit for Manchester United and can eventually become a first-team regular as well.
However, it won’t be easy for Manchester United to land the 23-year-old as Aston Villa are also interested in his services. Unai Emery has done a great job at Villa Park, but he is in desperate need of a new defender ahead of next season. Aston Villa did sign Diego Carlos from Sevilla ahead of the ongoing season.
But, injuries have not been kind to the Brazilian. While he has recovered from the injury, they can’t rush him and need to be careful with him. As a result, Emery is keen on having another centre-back and wants Salisu at his disposal. With Manchester United and Aston Villa set to battle it out for the 23-year-old’s services, it will be interesting to see who comes out on top in their transfer tussle.
