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Manchester United have reportedly shown interest in yet another French defender in Jules Kounde. They are already very close to signing Raphael Varane from Real Madrid.
According to the Daily Mail (via Sportsmole), Manchester United are prepared to make a bid for Sevilla's Kounde to bolster their defense ahead of the new season.
However, United are not the only side interested in signing Kounde. The likes of Real Madrid, Chelsea and Tottenham Hotspur have all been linked with a move for the 22-year-old French international.
Despite interest from a host of clubs, Sevilla will have strong bargaining power if Manchester United or any other side come calling for Kounde. The 22-year-old has still got three years remaining on his Sevilla contract, meaning the La Liga side will have the upper hand in any negotiations. They are likely to ask for a mammoth fee for Kounde.
Manchester United manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer wants defensive reinforcements
Manchester United's defense has been their bottleneck for quite some time now. The likes of Eric Bailly and Victor Lindelof are decent on their day but error-prone whilst having injury concerns as well.
United manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer is keen to add some much-needed defensive reinforcement to cover up for club captain Harry Maguire. The Red Devils are close to completing the signing of Raphael Varane and want to add another promising centre-back to their squad.
Manchester United's interest in Jules Koundé makes sense as the 22-year-old defender is capable of playing as a makeshift right-back as well. United need a backup for Aaron Wan-Bisakka and Kounde could play that role in the long run.
Despite showing great ambition in the transfer window, Manchester United still have to resolve Paul Pogba's contract situation. Solskjaer is a huge admirer of the French superstar and would like Pogba to continue playing in the Premier League despite reported interest from elsewhere. The United manager said:
"The talks are ongoing between Paul's representatives and our club representatives. There is always speculation about Paul and there are always clubs being interested because of course we have seen Paul at his best. I'm not in the detail of every single one of the discussions but Paul knows what we feel about it. I have enjoyed my time working with Paul and hopefully we can [continue] working together."
Also Read: Paul Merson's column - 5 most underrated players in the Premier League
