Man United ready to “make a move” for €35m “Rolls Royce” premier league defender ahead of summer transfer window

Man United ready to “make a move” for €35m “Rolls Royce” premier league defender ahead of summer transfer window

Manchester United’s dramatic last-minute 4-3 defeat against Chelsea at Stamford Bridge on Thursday was the team’s 12th loss of the campaign, their joint-most in Premier League history.

This was the third time since March that the Red Devils have conceded three or more goals and the 13th time this has happened this season.

Erik ten Hag’s flawed system does not work and his deluded post match statements are becoming difficult to believe.

Sir Jim Ratcliffe and his new-look behind-the-scenes team have a big decision to take with regards to the manager’s future.

To add injury to insult, the defence is in pretty bad shape with academy graduate Willy Kambwala and Harry Maguire the only fit centre-backs after Raphael Varane and Jonny Evans both hobbled off against the Blues.

Problems at centre-back
Both Victor Lindelof and Lisandro Martinez are already sidelined for a month and judging from results this season, INEOS’ planned summer clearout is likely to include multiple names from this list.

A lot of centre-backs have been linked with a switch to Old Trafford in the summer with Football Transfers now adding Ezri Konsa’s name to the list.

The Aston Villa star has impressed both as a centre-back and right-back for Aston Villa, who are on course to finish fourth and secure Champions League football for next season.

With Aaron Wan-Bissaka’s future far from secure, the former Brentford man’s versatility could come in quite handy for the 20-time English league champions.

The 26-year-old has played a pivotal role, helping keep 12 clean sheets while registering a goal and an assist in 39 games. His displays saw Gareth Southgate hand the centre-back his England debut against Brazil recently.

Konsa’s impressive Villa stint
His pass completion rate and successful take-ons percentage places him in the top eight percent among centre-backs and among the top 1 percent among full-backs (via Fbref), which shows his technical skills with the ball at his feet.

And being Premier League-proven is something that Sir Jim Ratcliffe wants from future recruits and he fits the bill in terms of an age profile. His displays for Villa saw former manager Dean Smith call him a “Rolls Royce of a player”.

However, the Englishman signed a new contract until 2028 with possible European Championships participation to come, his price is expected to skyrocket and that might place him beyond United’s reach.

His current market value according to Transfermarkt stands at €35 million, but he is expected to fetch a lot more if it comes down to a sale.

“Manchester United could make a move for Ezri Konsa, having monitored the Aston Villa defender last summer, FootballTransfers has been told.

“FootballTransfers understands that United were alerted to Konsa’s frustration at his contractual situation at Villa Park last summer and had the England international on their transfer shortlist.

Ezri Konsa, the new target
“However, Villa were reluctant to sell and opted to more than double the 26-year-old’s wages in order to keep him satisfied, with Konsa signing a new five-year contract in September.

“United are still thought to be admirers of Konsa, although there is an acceptance that the player’s valuation would be significantly higher following his renewal.”

Also with potential Champions League football on the horizon, Unai Emery certainly will not want to lose such a key cog and a summer deal could prove quite complicated.

Having to pay a premium for British players is quite normal and United have found that out recently with Jarrad Branthwaite and Evan Ferguson‘s values skyrocketing.

A lot will depend on how much the club can raise in the summer and with the club also set to target a striker and midfielder, it remains to be seen how much money is in the bank for the centre-back purchase