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The summer transfer window is thrown wide open and teams have already started recruiting. Eder Militao is already on his way to Real Madrid while Frenkie de Jong will join the camp in Catalonia. There are plenty of good players going as free agents including Godin, Rabiot, Milner, Sturridge among others.
The spot that many teams are looking to bolster is the central defence. Manchester United and Arsenal are two of the teams in grave need of a centre-back, a good centre-back. Barcelona is worried about their squad depth in that zone. Atleti would need a person in that area since Godin is already leaving.
It is essential for a team to have at least four good centre back options, two of them world-class, two others trustworthy to play rotations. Let us have a look at three of the best centre-backs who would force teams to break the bank for them.
#3 Samuel Umtiti
It is a very unfortunate situation that has arisen with Samuel Umtiti. He was signed from Lyon for a reasonable amount of €25 million. He switched from his natural left-back spot to a centre-back position but it turned out to be a masterstroke.
He turned out to be the highest valued centre-back in the world at the start of the season. But a knee injury brought his season to a halt.
Clement Lenglet stepped up in a big way and is almost irreplaceable in the team. Also, Umtiti has fallen highly out of favour at the club and might be sold to raise funds. There is no shortage of clubs interested in him though. Even though he is not the most valued CB, he still is one of the most valued central defenders.
His current value is estimated to be around €70 million at the moment. Arsenal would be happy to have him in their ranks since their defence is in tatters at the moment. He can ply his trade at Manchester United also or maybe even Juventus.
Given the inflated market, his price could go as much as €80-85 million, which Bayern paid for Lucas Hernandez. He won't come in cheap by any means but given what he adds to the team, it would still be a bargain for any team.
#2 Matthijs de Ligt
The Dutch centre-back burst into the spotlight a couple of seasons ago after his exceptional performances. He won the Golden Ball for his performances in the 2017/18 season and with the captain's armband, he was even better in 2019.
De Ligt did not only defended well, but he also proved to be a crucial set-piece threat and scored against Juventus and Tottenham in the UCL knockout stages.
The current situation of the 19-year-old tells us that he won't be at Ajax next season. But where does he go? Barcelona is his wish it seems and reports did suggest that the club is interested in him. However, his agent Mino Raiola is a major factor in the transfer as he is known to be a ruthless negotiator.
Juventus, Manchester United, and Barcelona are set to battle it out for the Ajax captain, and the price won't be any less. Raiola is known to get his agents a hefty salary and Ajax would require a price, ranging from €80-100 million.
It will be interesting to see where he ends up as his roles are pretty clear. He will be a starter for sure in England, plays important games in Italy, but he will only be a squad player at Barcelona.
So, can you decipher where this lad goes?
#1 Kalidou Koulibaly
Napoli's defensive general Kalidou Koulibaly is an integral part of the team. There was a high chance that he could move last season itself but he ultimately ended up staying. But now that he won the Serie A Defender of the Season title, it is a high possibility that he will leave Napoli soon enough.
Manchester United's biggest target this summer seems to be the Senegalese international. Interestingly, there are reports that the mega money bid from the Devils was rejected by Napoli. The sum that United offered is stated to be a whopping €110 million. If this sum was rejected by Napoli, then Koulibaly is surely on his way to becoming the most expensive defender in history.
The tussle between the teams is bound to continue and this being a do or die transfer for United, they would go again. Things could become more interesting if any other club pops up with a surprise bid but for now, it is Napoli and United in a tug-of-war.
