- Manchester United chasing Monaco's Djibril Sidibe
- Mourinho is pushing United to add as many as four new defenders ahead of a campaign in which he aims to bring the Premier League
Manchester: Manchester United have identified France international Djibril Sidibe as one of their principal summer transfer targets.
The AS Monaco full back is wanted as part of an overhaul of the English Premier League team’s back four proposed by manager Jose Mourinho, a club source has told Arab News.
Sidibe can operate on both the right and left side of defense and would add energy and pace to a United defense in which the 32-year-olds Antonio Valencia and Ashley Young have been preferred at full back this season.
Monaco signed Sidibe from Lille in 2016, extending the defender’s contract until 2022 after his contribution to last season’s unexpected French title success.
According to a Monaco source, the 25-year-old is one of three senior players the club’s Vice President Vadim Vasilyev expects to cash in on this close season as the next part of a transfer strategy that has raised unprecedented sums in recent windows. Monaco are said to want a minimum of €35million ($42 million) for Sidibe.
Mourinho is pushing United to add as many as four new defenders ahead of a campaign in which he aims to bring the Premier League title back to Old Trafford for the first time since Sir Alex Ferguson’s retirement.
The recruitment of “decisive” individuals at center and full back would allow the deployment of more aggressive tactics against stronger opposition. With current personnel, Mourinho is often forced to protect his back four by deploying a low defensive line or a conservative midfield strategy.
The request that significant resources be focused on such reinforcement echoes Pep Guardiola’s demands that Manchester City provide him with a cohort of new defenders last summer. On the Catalan’s instruction, the Abu Dhabi-owned club agreed global record transfer fees for full backs
Kyle Walker and Benjamin Mendy, paid a domestic high for goalkeeper Ederson, then signed French center back Aymeric Laporte for €70 million mid-season. City’s reward was one of the most impressive Premier League campaigns ever, the League Cup and a Champions League quarterfinal place.
Mourinho, meanwhile, has favored converted wingers Valencia and Young over a pair of failed Louis van Gaal signings, Matteo Darmian and Luke Shaw. None of United’s center backs has started more than 22 League fixtures, with injury depriving Mourinho of his most trusted performer in that area of the field, Eric Bailly, for much of the campaign.
Darmian has played just 196 minutes of League football this season and has been offered to Serie A clubs. Daley Blind has 274 minutes, while Luke Shaw — the most expensive full back in world football at the time of his move — has less than 10 hours of playing time this League season.
Among other defenders United are after is Samuel Umtiti. The France international has a €60 million
release clause at Barcelona, who have so far failed to meet his request that his salary be more than doubled to an annual €9 million. United have made it clear that they would meet the center back’s terms should he agree to leave Camp Nou.
Juventus are open to selling Alex Sandro if their valuation of the Brazil left back is met. The 27-year-old has encouraged United’s interest and pressed his current employers to be allowed to move, but is expected to cost a minimum of €57 million.
An alternative option favored by United’s scouting department is
Celtic’s Kieran Tierney. The Scotland left back, who has also operated as a central defender this season, was made the club’s captain last year.