Paul Pogba is back in Manchester United’s starting line-up but nobody feels confident he will still be here next season.
Pogba can walk away as a free agent in June and having let it get to this stage, it feels reasonably likely he will be signing for a new club.
United have to plan to sign a replacement, in addition to the requirement to sign a defensive midfielder. This need for two midfield signings makes it less likely the club spend £100 million on a singular signing, as has been suggested could happen for Declan Rice.
Instead United are reported, by The Star at least, to be eyeing up a swoop on Leicester City for Youri Tielemans.
The report states United hope a deal can be struck for £40 million for Tielemans, whose contract with the Foxes expires in 2023.
United have seen first-hand how good the Belgian international is. He scored against United in Leicester’s last two games vs the Red Devils, inspiring his side to victory in both.
Tielemans would be an excellent addition
Leicester swooped for Tielemans in 2019, the same summer United bought Harry Maguire from the Foxes. During that summer speculation over Pogba’s future raged on, with real concern over whether he would even turn up for United’s pre-season summer tour.
At that point Leicester had taken Tielemans on a loan deal from Monaco, where he impressed and proved his quality in the Premier League, yet United stood by and let them sign him unopposed. It’s possible this was connected to the Maguire deal, not wanting to ruin relations and scupper the move for the defensive target.
Three years on, Pogba looks set to walk on a free, and Tielemans has gone onto show himself to be a class act. He has gone onto play 133 games for Leicester, scoring 23 goals and providing 22 assists, also winning the FA Cup.
The Belgian is only 24 and needs a new challenge. Leicester are having a poor season and Tielemans would benefit from the change of scenery.
A move to United would be a sensible call on his part, and on United’s too. He’s not a midfield destroyer, United will still need one of those, but in terms of replacing Paul Pogba, there are not many better options around than Tielemans and £40 million would be a great price if a deal could be done in that range.
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