Manchester United are reportedly battling with Liverpool over a deal to sign Tottenham Hotspur centre-back Micky Van de Ven, as per TEAMtalk.
The Red Devils currently have Harry Maguire, Matthijs de Ligt, Lisandro Martínez, Leny Yoro, and Ayden Heaven as options to deploy in the centre-back positions.
However, Maguire has struggled to stay fit in recent months, and his long-term future is currently uncertain at Old Trafford as his existing deal is set to expire at the end of this season.
De Ligt, on the other hand, has displayed promising performances this season but has been out injured over the last two months. Martínez has also struggled with fitness problems in recent years and has just returned to action after recovering from a serious knee injury.
Yoro, meanwhile, has displayed below-average performances this season. He is still very young and needs time to develop. Heaven has displayed impressive performances in recent months, but is also very young, and his game time needs to be managed carefully to help him reach his full potential.
It appears United have started looking at options as a potential replacement for Maguire if he eventually leaves as a free agent at the end of this season.
Now, TEAMtalk claim that Man Utd have earmarked Van de Ven as an ‘ideal option’ to strengthen the defence and have been monitoring his development since his Wolfsburg days.
Battle
Tottenham have no intention of parting ways with the Dutchman and are planning to tie him down to a fresh term. They are even ready to make him one of the highest-paid players at the club to persuade him to stay.
However, Van de Ven isn’t in a hurry to prolong his stay at the North London club following their struggles this season. So, negotiations haven’t progressed at all.
But, the report state that with the defender’s existing deal set to run until 2029, Spurs don’t want to sell him for cheap and have slapped a whopping £100m price tag on his head.
Tottenham’s asking price won’t be the only obstacle for United to seal the deal, as Liverpool are also interested in Van de Ven to address their defensive frailties.
Moreover, Real Madrid and Bayern Munich are keen on him, having been impressed by his recent eye-catching displays in the Premier League.
