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What's the rumour?
Manchester United's woes at the back have been well documented and the same can be said about Jose Mourinho's pursuit of a dependable centre-back. While the board refused to invest money in a defender during the summer transfer window, they have now seemingly backtracked and are ready to break the bank in the January transfer window to sign a defender.
According to Marca, Manchester United have put forth a 'dizzying offer' to bring Atletico Madrid full-back Lucas Hernandez to Old Trafford. The 22-year-old who starred for France in their World Cup triumph has a release clause of £70 million.
In case you didn't know...
Lucas Hernandez can play as a left-back and as a centre-back. His versatility will be a major boost to Manchester United whose centre-backs are underperforming. Lucas Hernandez can also be a good cover for Luke Shaw as the other alternative Ashley Young is entering the twilight of his career.
It's not just Manchester United who are interested in the World Cup winner. Manchester City and Real Madrid are also reportedly keeping tabs on Hernandez.
The heart of the matter
Lucas Hernandez is one of the most promising young defenders in the LaLiga right now. After breaking into the first team scene in 2014, Hernandez has proven to be a reliable player for Diego Simeone and is a regular feature in the first team now.
Lucas Hernandez was quick to brush aside rumours linking him with Real Madrid in the summer. He said,
“I didn’t listen to it much. I was 100 percent committed to my club and also had just renewed my contract.
“My agent told me and as soon as he said Madrid were interested I said I couldn’t do it.
“Atletico are my city, my club, they have given me everything. I am an honest person and I couldn’t go to Madrid.”
It makes sense for a young player who rose through the ranks at Atletico to have reservations regarding making a switch to their city rivals. However, that is not expected to have any bearing on a potential move to Manchester United.
Jose Mourinho is reportedly convinced that he'll be able to lure Lucas to Manchester United.
Rumour rating/probability: 5/10
Manchester United desperately need a reliable centre-back. Lucas Hernandez is primarily a left-back though he does fill in at the centre of defence every once in a while. He would still be a good signing for Manchester United but as it stands, it is advised that readers take this with a pinch of salt.
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What's next?
Lucas Hernandez is a great tackler of the ball but whether or not he will be a good fit for Manchester United is a whole different question. It would be a good move for the player but would it be a good move for Manchester United? Only time will tell.
