AC Milan eye 'bargain deal' for Man Utd ace as Ruben Amorim green lights exit (original) (raw)
AC Milan are reportedly considering a move for Manchester United defender Victor Lindelof, who isn’t part of the Red Devil’s long term plans.
The Swedish international’s contract is set to expire at the end of the season and Man Utd are open to selling him this winter to avoid losing him on a free transfer.
Matthijs de Ligt has moved ahead of Lindelof in the pecking order since his move to Old Trafford, while Leny Yoro is expected to do the same once he returns from injury.
According to CaughtOffside, Milan are keen to strike a ‘bargain deal’ for Lindelof in January as they look to capitalise on his contract situation.
It’s claimed that the Serie A giants are ‘seriously interested in the Man Utd star as they value his experience and they could make an approach to the 30-year-old in January as the centre-back will be free to negotiate with foreign clubs.’
Lindelof could sign a pre-contract agreement with Milan in January ahead of a free transfer next summer, although the Red Devil’s preference would be a sale this winter.
In addition to Lindelof, the report claims that Milan are also interested in Arsenal defender Jakub Kiwior, who could be available for around £20m in January.
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AC Milan target Man Utd man, Arsenal star
It’s claimed that Milan would be interested in signing Kiwior on loan. However, reports suggest that Arsenal are not willing to let this happen and will only sanction his departure on a permanent deal. Napoli, Bologna, Juventus, Villarreal and Marseille are among the other big clubs looking to lure Kiwior away from North London.
Milan are keen to sign Lindelof on a ‘permanent free transfer’ though and Man Utd will be powerless to stop this if he doesn’t sign a contract extension.
We exclusively revealed last month that Lindelof is one of five Man Utd stars at risk of being axed by new manager Ruben Amorim.
The other players deemed surplus to the requirements by the Portuguese coach are Harry Maguire, Antony, Casemiro and Altay Bayindir, while Christian Eriksen is also not in his long-term plans.
With that in mind, it’s possible that Milan could strike a deal for Lindelof in January ahead of a free transfer at the end of the season. Premier League clubs are also keeping tabs on his situation, however.
Man Utd round up: Branthwaite boost / Onana exit claims
Meanwhile, Man Utd sporting director Dan Ashworth is scouring the market for another new centre-back who can fit into Amorim’s 3-4-3 system.
He has identified Everton star Jarrad Branthwaite as an ideal target, and recent reports suggest that Everton ‘can’t afford’ to tie him down to a new contract that would prevent his departure.
This comes as a boost for Man Utd but sources have consistently told TEAMtalk that Everton won’t budge on their valuation of over £75m of Branthwaite.
The Red Devils are said to be considering a January move for Branthwaite but may find it difficult to match that fee due to the Premier League’s profit and sustainability rules (PSR).
In other news, a shock report has claimed that Amorim has deemed Man Utd goalkeeper Andre Onana surplus to requirements, suggesting he could be sold in January.
It has been claimed that Amorim ‘doesn’t want Onana’ and is prepared to say ‘goodbye’ to him. Amorim has ‘not hesitated to point out that several aspects of the squad must change’ and Onana is the ‘first player who does not enter into his plans’.
Given Onana has been one of Man Utd’s standout over the past 12 months, it’s hard to see a scenario where Onana is replaced in 2025, but the report claims his ‘future is up in the air’ as Amorim is ‘unconvinced’.
It’s stated that ‘several clubs in the Premier League and other European leagues, including teams from La Liga and Serie A, could be interested in signing the goalkeeper.’