Ten Hag delight as star who 'loves' Man Utd confirms contract extension imminent; Euro giants to be thwarted (original) (raw)
Manchester United could soon be given a boost as defender Victor Lindelof has revealed it is ‘quite likely’ he will activate the option to extend his contract with the club, ending potential rumours of a switch to mainland Europe.
Lindelof has emerged into an important player for Man Utd in the Erik ten Hag era. The Dutch coach likes Lindelof due to his versatility, as he can operate either as a centre-half or right-back, while he also appreciates the 29-year-old’s ability to play out from defence.
Those factors have seen Lindelof overtake former captain Harry Maguire in the Man Utd pecking order. While Maguire has only made four appearances so far, amounting to a total of 206 minutes, Lindelof has featured in 10 matches and managed 735 minutes.
With Lisandro Martinez out of action until the new year due to injury, Raphael Varane and Lindelof forming a strong centre-back partnership will be crucial if Man Utd are to climb up the Premier League table and also get out of their Champions League group.
Despite Ten Hag placing his trust in Lindelof, there has been growing talk of the Swede moving away from Man Utd. The reports stem from the fact his contract expires in June, which means clubs could strike a cut-price deal in January or sign him on a free transfer at the end of the campaign.
Juventus were recently tipped to sign him, while Inter and Rennes are also interested. But those three potential suitors are now primed for disappointment.
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While on international duty, Lindelof was asked about his contract situation in Manchester. He told Swedish source Fotbollskanalen (via CaughtOffside): “I have an option [for another] year and there is a deadline for it. When exactly I don’t know. But it feels quite likely that it will be activated.”
He continued: “I enjoy myself very much. I am entering my seventh year at the club. I feel good and the family feels good. It’s a club that I really like, and that I love to represent.”
Victor Lindelof could follow Rashford, Shaw lead
It seems Lindelof is on the verge of extending his Man Utd terms until 2025. This will protect the club from a potential free-transfer exit and give them time to draw up a longer, more valuable contract for Lindelof.
This is exactly what Man Utd did in December 2022 when they activated the one-year options in the contracts of Marcus Rashford, Luke Shaw, Diogo Dalot and Fred.
Since then, Rashford, Shaw and Dalot have all penned long-term deals, while Fred signed for Turkish giants Fenerbahce over the summer.