Napoli defender Kalidou Koulibaly in action. (Getty Images)
With Jose Mourinho sacked, Manchester United still need defensive reinforcements to help them to get their season back on track. While they want Kalidou Koulibaly (via Manchester Evening News), shelling out an exorbitant price for the 27-year-old may not be an option.
While the Napoli man is exactly what the Red Devils need, the club’s board must look at other options to help satisfy their short-term and maybe even their long-term problems.
But with Real Madrid also in the race (via Calciomercato) for the 27-year-old, maybe Ed Woodward needs to look past the burly centre-back. That said, here are two equally brilliant stars that Manchester United can buy instead of Kalidou Koulibaly.
When it comes to centre-backs, versatility and the ability to play two positions adds to a player’s transfer value and that’s what it has done for 22-year-old Benjamin Pavard. The Frenchman’s ability to play either as a right back, a left-back or as a centre-back has shot up his transfer value even more after his performances for Stuttgart and France in Russia.
But given that Pavard has a release clause worth around €35million (via ESPN) for him, which makes him a very affordable option. And given the 22-year-old’s skill set, it makes the transfer fee an absolute steal for a player of his calibre. However, with the likes of Liverpool (via Fox Sport) and even Arsenal in the mix, things could make things harder for Manchester United.
The 29-year old’s current contract with Tottenham ends at the end of the 2018/19 season, and that means come January, Alderweireld is free to negotiate with any club outside the Premier League. But if Manchester United somehow manages to convince him, they could get the Belgian star for free and that would be a bargain for someone like the 29-year-old.
His experience in the Premier League makes him even more valuable for the Red Devils and now with Jan Vertonghen signing a new deal (via Metro) there are even fewer players available at a cut raise price. While Alderweireld does have an option for a one-year extension, it’s highly unlikely that Tottenham will activate it and that improves United’s chances.
