According to Italian outlet Corriere dello Sport, Inter Milan defender Denzel Dumfries was waiting for Manchester United after snubbing a move to Aston Villa this summer.
The Red Devils made five major signings during the summer transfer window. Joshua Zirzkee, Leny Yoro, Matthijs de Ligt, Noussair Mazraoui and Manuel Ugarte were signed for around £180 million.
Corriere dello Sport now claim that intermediaries were in contact with Man United regarding Dumfries. The Netherlands international was keen on joining the club after turning down Villa.
The £20m-rated right-back had the ‘preference for United’, but the Red Devils did not consider an approach. They ended up recruiting Mazraoui from Bayern, who previously played under United head coach Erik ten Hag at Ajax.
Dumfries’ contract with Inter expires next summer, but he is close to prolonging his stay with a renewal.
Financial decision
Dumfries has been highly talked about since his move to Inter from PSV Eindhoven. He was a traditional right-back during his time in Eredivisie, but has grown accustomed to playing from the right wing-back role for the Serie A champions.
The 28-year-old has shown his quality on the ball in the final 3rd. He has made regular rampaging runs and has been a menace for opposition defenders with his quick distribution. He has been effective defensively too with his recoveries.
Despite the positives, United decided against going forward with an approach. With Diogo Dalot being the regular choice at right-back, the club were probably looking into a low-cost replacement with Aaron Wan-Bissaka on his way out.
Mazraoui was signed for an initial £12.8 million from Bayern. In case of Dumfries, Inter were eyeing £25.3 million for his signature despite the fact that he had entered the final year of his contract. They stayed firm on that valuation.
The finances were probably a reason behind United’s transfer decision. There is also the resale value to consider as there is a higher chance of United recouping their investment on Mazraoui, who is younger than Dumfries at 26.
Dumfries snubbed the opportunity to play in the Champions League with Villa this season, but United did not want to make a higher outlay on him. Mazraoui, who has worked under ten Hag for 4 years, was preferred over him.
