Manchester United have made an offer of £43m (€50m) to sign Andreas Christensen from Barcelona this summer, according to El Nacional.
The Spanish outlet claims that United’s offer consists of a £30m (€35m) guaranteed payment plus £13m (€15m) in potential add-ons.
Erik ten Hag is keen on bolstering his central defence this summer as he looks for a replacement for Harry Maguire. The England international, who was stripped off the captaincy ahead of the new season, has two years left on his contract at Old Trafford, having joined from Leicester City in 2019.
He is not part of Ten Hag’s plans after falling down the pecking order last season. Maguire is deemed fourth choice centre-back at United as he’s behind Raphael Varane, Lisandro Martínez, and Victor Lindelof.
The Dutch boss also used left-back Luke Shaw as a makeshift centre-back last campaign due to Maguire’s poor run of form and lack of confidence. He has been linked with a move away from Old Trafford with the likes of Tottenham Hotspur, West Ham and Chelsea expressing interest in the 30-year-old.
West Ham had an offer worth £20m rejected by Man Utd but have returned with an improved bid of £30m. That figure is still below United’s valuation but Maguire is expected to leave before the end of the month.
Quality signing
A top class replacement would be needed and it appears Christensen has emerged as a serious target.
Christensen is regarded as one of the best defenders in Spain following his impressive performances in La Liga last season. He joined Xavi’s side from Chelsea last summer on a free transfer and has become a key cog of the team.
The Denmark international racked up 32 appearances across all competitions and made two goal contributions as he helped Barca clinch the La Liga title. He was part of a solid defensive unit that conceded just 20 goals in the league.
According to El Nacional, Barcelona would be reluctant to sell Christensen this summer but would be tempted to cash-in if Man Utd agreed to pay £43m up front with no add-ons or bonuses included.
Selling Christensen would allow Barcelona to bank a huge profit on their books which would help ease their financial worries. And they’ve already signed a potential replacement having snapped up Inigo Martinez.
It remains to be seen whether Man Utd will be prepared to improve upon their offer but it looks like they could sign Christensen if they’re willing to put £43m on the table.
Read more: ‘Discussions underway’ – Man Utd plot swoop to sign £43m star but Liverpool also keen
