Manchester United have reportedly positioned themselves as contenders for Bayer Leverkusen centre-back Jonathan Tah, who will be available for free upon the expiry of his contract in the summer.
The Red Devils are set to compete in the first leg of their Europa League semi-final clash against Athletic Bilbao on Thursday, though they will have to do so without defenders Lisandro Martinez and Diogo Dalot.
Full-back Noussair Mazraoui has been used in a back three by boss Ruben Amorim, and it would not be surprising if the club looked to strengthen in defence in the upcoming transfer window.
However, United are said to be under pressure financially, and they may have to carefully manage their budget in the summer and prioritise signings.
Sky Sports News claim that free agent Tah has been touted as a potential bargain target in the summer, but they also report that Bayern Munich, Real Madrid and Barcelona are all tracking the centre-back.
© Imago
Why Tah makes sense for Amorim
United are currently 14th in the Premier League with just 39 points after 34 matchweeks, and winning the Europa League is their only hope of qualifying for Europe.
The club will need to make numerous additions in order to climb the table, but considering their record of 39 goals is the division's joint fifth-worst return, Amorim may need to look at making additions up front as a matter of priority.
Wolverhampton Wanderers' Matheus Cunha has strongly been linked with a move to Old Trafford, but he will cost in excess of £60m, and such a signing may impact the club's ability to spend on defensive reinforcements.
While Tah is 29 years old and may not have a long-term future at the top level, his status as a free agent would allow Amorim to add significant depth to his backline.
It should also be noted that he has played in a back three at Bayer Leverkusen for more than two seasons under the tutelage of Xabi Alonso, and he would likely fit seamlessly into Amorim's back three.
His experience winning the Bundesliga title in 2023-24 could also prove invaluable to younger centre-backs such as Ayden Heaven and Leny Yoro, who have been thrown into suboptimal learning environments.
Lewis Nolan
