Man Utd in battle with Tottenham over deal to sign Aleksandar Stankovic from Club Brugge

Manchester United have expressed interest in signing Club Brugge defensive midfielder Aleksandar Stankovic but face competition from Spurs, according to Fichajes.

United are targeting significant midfield reinforcements, especially with Casemiro expected to depart Old Trafford at the end of the season.

Casemiro has played a key role so far this campaign in what is shaping up to become a memorable final season at the club since his arrival from Real Madrid in the summer of 2022.

He has been one of the team’s consistent performers, featuring in 22 of their 24 Premier League games, netting five goals and providing two assists, two of those goal involvements coming in the most recent 3-2 win over Fulham, where he scored and assisted.

Despite his form, United recently announced the Brazilian will be departing the club at the end of the season, with the midfielder also confirming the statement, which led to his famous ‘ I am Manchester United until death’, a statement making rounds and taking applause among fans.

With his departure now confirmed, the club are looking at potential replacements and have set their sights on Brugge’s Stanković.

According to Fichajes, Man Utd are searching for a young midfielder who possesses footballing and leadership qualities, and they’ve now set their sights on Stankovic to bolster their squad.

Box-to-box midfielder

The report adds that the club have made a midfield addition a ‘priority’ in the summer as part of their rebuilding process and believe the 20-year-old defensive midfielder is a good fit for the team, having ‘intensified’ scouting operations on the youngster in Belgium.

Man United will now need to intensify their efforts to secure his transfer, as the Spanish outlet adds that the deal for the Serbian international will not be easy, as Premier League rivals Tottenham Hotspur are set to enter into a bidding war with the Red Devils for the youngster’s signature.

With a meagre £12m Transfermarkt valuation and a contract at the Jan Breydel Stadium that runs until the summer of 2029, Brugge are in a strong negotiating position and are bracing up for significant offers likely to surpass his initial market valuation, according to the report.

While Stankovic has mainly been deployed as a defensive midfielder this season, the 20-year-old has shown his box-to-box abilities this season with 11 goal contributions in 36 games across all competitions, making him a viable replacement for Casemiro.