Manchester United have set their sights high on a defender who’s going to the World Cup and is versatile to the extreme.
The midfield has received all the attention from Man Utd this transfer window to begin with, and rightly so.
However, United won’t stop there, with other positions next on the agenda, like the left wing or a striker.
Amidst it all, if an opportunity arises to sign a 6’3″ World Cup-bound star who can provide competition to two of Man Utd’s most reliable players, then it’s a no-brainer.
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Man Utd interested in Marc Pubill of Atletico Madrid
In many ways, United got away with one last season when it came to centre-back and right-back, because the injuries to players in these positions were timed so that there was never an acute crisis.
The game against Chelsea at Stamford Bridge was a crisis, where Noussair Mazraoui and Ayden Heaven started at CB, but that’s it.
United can’t afford the same happening next season, however, with the club playing in four competitions.
Enter Marc Pubill, the 6’3″ Atletico Madrid defender who is going to the World Cup this summer after a sparkling campaign for his club.
CaughtOffside reports that United are in the race to sign Pubill and have been monitoring for a while.
He can cover both centre-back and right-back spots with gusto, but that quality also makes him difficult to prise out of Madrid.
Consequently, Atletico are preparing to hand him a new contract worth a release clause of €500m, knowing his value could rise further after a good World Cup.
For United, that contract squarely puts him in the “to keep monitoring range”.
Man Utd must stay alert on Pubill
Pubill is just 22 years old, so he won’t feel rushed into making a move, especially when he plays under one of the most defensively brilliant managers in world football.
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A new contract is a way for him to trust Atletico to get even better money for him next summer, and that’s when United need to move.
They will get clarity over how reliable Matthijs de Ligt and Lisandro Martinez can be, while Harry Maguire will finish another year.
Noussair Mazraoui will also show if he’s capable of staying available to compete with Dalot, because Pubill can cover both spots.
United must remain alert to Pubill’s situation for next summer, even if it happens in 2028. Just because this move is unlikely to happen this summer doesn’t mean he should be put aside.
New contract or not, expect his name to pop up a lot next summer.
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