Man Utd Transfer News: Fergie Eyes Argentinean Defender

Despite the transfer window being closed, there is always transfer gossip doing the rounds in the papers and we’ll keep you up-to-date with the latest news during the coming months. Today, Man Utd are linked with a new defender.

Manchester United are lining up a £15m move for Benfica defender Ezequiel Garay, who’s seen as a potential replacement for Rio Ferdinand, according to various reports today.

United’s defence has been uncharacteristically leaky this season with the Manchester giants conceding 24 goals already this campaign – a tally bettered by 9 teams in the division including the likes of West Brom, Swansea and West Ham.

The Sun claims Sir Alex Ferguson is ready to tighten up his back-line in the summer and will make a £15m move for Argentina centre-back Garay. The report claims Fergie has had the 26-year-old scouted on several occasions this season, including recent games against Sporting Lisbon and Olhanense, and has made his interest known to Benfica.

The Daily Mail also run a very similar report but they add that the Portuguese champions will have to off-load the defender in the summer as they are unable to afford his wages.

Garay joined Benfica in 2011 from Real Madrid after only making 25 appearances for the Spanish giants during a two-year stay at the Bernabeu.

Despite his troubles at Madrid, the La Liga giants must have seen his potential as the Sun claim they inserted a 50% sell-on clause in to the deal that saw him leave, and they have been proved right with Garay excelling at Benfica and was a rock at the heart of their defence as they lifted the Portuguese title last season.

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United’s reported interest comes at a time when Nemanja Vidic has only recently returned from a second serious knee injury and at 31 you’d have to question whether he’s going to be able to return to the kind of form that saw him regarded as one of the best defenders in the world.

The Mail also suggest that Rio Ferdinand’s Old Trafford future is in doubt so it’s no surprise Ferguson seems to be looking at possible additions in defence.

Would you like to see Garay at United in the summer? Get involved in the comments section below.