Manchester United are reportedly all set to battle it out with Aston Villa for LOSC Lille defensive sensation Tiago Santos.
According to a report from Give Me Sport, Manchester United and Aston Villa are both keen on acquiring the services of Tiago Santos. The Portuguese full-back has made an impressive rise at LOSC Lille, and he now finds himself on the wishlist of some top clubs.
The 22-year-old full-back is open to a move away from Lille next summer, and he could be headed to the Premier League, where the Reds Devils are ready to battle Unai Emery’s Aston Villa.
Santos was a part of the Sporting CP and Estoril Praia youth ranks before he made the move to the French club in the summer of 2023. The youngster has gone from strength to strength since joining Lille and has made quite a name for himself with his impressive performances on the right flank.
Santos has started the new season in fine fashion, and it has helped him break into Roberto Martinez’s Portugal squad. While he still awaits his debut, the young full-back has surely taken some significant steps in recent years.
Premier League clubs keen on Santos
Santos’s performances have put him on the radar of Aston Villa and Manchester United, who have been monitoring him for around 12 months now. While Erik ten Hag further bolstered the right-back position by signing Noussair Mazraoui in the summer, he has not ruled out the possibility of adding more quality in that department.
Aston Villa also find themselves in a similar situation. They signed Kosta Nedeljkovic from Red Star Belgrade at the start of the year. He remained at the Serbian club on a short loan before moving to Villa Park in the summer. While Emery’s team are well covered in that department, they are still interested in Santos’ services.
The Portuguese sensation’s ability to feature anywhere across the right flank is what attracts interest from both Premier League outfits. While Santos is expected to leave Lille next summer, the Red Devils and Villa still won’t find it easy to sign him as his £12,000-a-week contract runs until the summer of 2028, and the Ligue 1 club will stand firm on their demands.
