Manchester United are being linked with a surprise move for Fulham defender Kevin Mbabu.
Italian outlet TMW claim that Serie A side Monza are keen, however, their attempts have hit a block.
The report claims: “His transfer to Manchester United is in an advanced negotiation phase.”
Mbabu has played seven times for Fulham this season, just twice as a starter, and plays at right-back.
Who is Kevin Mbabu?
Mbabu, 27, had trials at Manchester United back in 2010 and was chaperoned by fellow French speaker Paul Pogba.
He told the Bundesliga website: “He looked after me and showed me the ropes. I’m really lucky to have got to know a player who has grown into such a big star. He was a really nice guy.”
The defender joined Newcastle from Swiss side Servette, but after a loan spell at Rangers, he returned to Switzerland with Young Boys.
During this time he featured against Jose Mourinho’s Manchester United in the Champions League group stages, before joining Wolfsburg in 2019, where he played alongside new Red Devils signing Wout Weghorst 68 times.
Mbabu joined Fulham this past summer and is under contract until 2025, but this move has not worked out, and they are looking at signing Arsenal’s Cedric Soares as a replacement, The Mail report.
He has 22 international caps for Switzerland.
Speedy right-back
The Chronicle reported during his loan at Young Boys that Mbabu was measured at the time as the second fastest footballer in the world, recording a top speed of 36.1 km/h, behind only Gareth Bale.
Swiss football expert @FOOTBALLSWISSEN told Fulham’s website: “His pace and acceleration are the first things that you notice about Mbabu. As I mentioned, he is a good tackler and very determined overall, with a good work-rate. Nothing he does on the pitch is half-hearted.”
Verdict on Mbabu to United
A move for Mbabu seems odd on first glance, but right-back is a position Manchester United have been linked with upgrading.
Mbabu is a different profile to both Diogo Dalot and Aaron Wan-Bissaka, a more pacy, attacking player, who would give Erik ten Hag a different option.
A word of warning though, TMW last week linked United with a move for Josip Juranovic, which has not amounted to anything so far, and the same could come from these links, despite the claim talks are being held.
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