Manchester United are reported to be eyeing Bayer Leverkusen defender Edmond Tapsoba.
Edmond Tapsoba is a potential replacement for Harry Maguire, report The MEN. His name has not been plucked at random, he is a player the club have been eyeing for a while.
Bayer Leverkusen signed Tapsoba in early 2020 from Vitor Guimares for a fee of £15.5 million which could rise to £21.5m.
He has gone onto make exactly 100 appearances in the Bundesliga, and he has 36 caps for Burkina Faso.
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Edmond Tapsoba value
The Express reported in early 2021 that Manchester United were scouting the defender, who had a release clause in his contract of £44 million.
However, as reported subsequently via The Mail, Tapsoba signed a new contract with Bayer Leverkusen which runs to 2026 and removed the release clause.
This allows Leverkusen to set their price. BILD has reported Leverkusen are not at all keen to sell, meaning United could end up having to spend more than the £30 million fee received for Maguire, to land Tapsoba, more like £40 million plus.
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United have alternative options
Tapsoba is not the only defender on Manchester United’s shortlist. Even setting aside a potential basement bargain signing of Jonny Evans, there are further alternatives.
Nice centre-back Jean Clair-Todibo is on the radar, while Sky Germany report Benjamin Pavard is an option, and a available one due to his versatility.
Both players would likely be cheaper than Tapsoba, and with United needing to spend in other areas too, Tapsoba seems an option less likely than the others, unless his talent is deemed far superior by the Red Devils scouts who have tracked him for so long.