Manchester United is going to begin the season with Lisandro Martinez partnering with Raphael Varane in the centre-back position. Popular figure and once captain Harry Maguire looks to have played his last game in a United shirt. As The Top Flight has covered, Manchester United has accepted a deal for Harry Maguire from West Ham United for £30m. So, what’s next for Manchester United as they look to bring in someone to replace the departing English defender?
Manchester United have a shortlist of three defenders to replace Maguire
Transfer journalist Fabrizio Romano is reporting that Manchester United have identified three defenders as their ideal replacements for Harry Maguire. One of those defenders, The Top Flight, has already written about, Jean-Clair Todibo. The 23-year-old Frenchman is subject to strong interest from Manchester United, and the Red Devils have asked about the conditions of a deal with Nice.
The other two defenders shortlisted are Benjamin Pavard and Edmond Tapsoba. Both are Bundesliga defenders, with Pavard at Bayern and Taposoba at Bayer Leverkusen. Pavard has been linked to Manchester United in the past and was also previously a target for Manchester City and Liverpool. Pavard is likely going to be a bench player this season at Bayern, so it will be a matter if he wants to be a backup option in Germany or with United. He’s lost a starting spot at right-back to Noussair Mazraoui, and Bayern does not view him as a top centre-back option.
Tapsoba was recently linked to Tottenham Hotspur and could be an interesting back-up option for Varane. The Burkina Faso international is a regular starter for Bayer Leverkusen, and the Bundesliga side would likely demand a high fee for the 24-year-old.
Out of the three options, Pavard could be said to be the most experienced option, given his age, while Todibo and Tapsoba are younger options with high potential.