The Times has recently reported that Manchester United have identified Red Bull Leipzig defender Dayot Upamecano as their next signing. The Red Devils head coach Ole Gunnar Solskjaer is looking to follow Donny van de Beek’s potential £40m acquisition by launching a move for the Leipzig star during this summer transfer period (via The Times).
Upamecano’s Fine Form At Leipzig Last Season
The 21-year-old has made a name for himself for putting in a string of commanding displays at the centre of Julian Nagelsmann’s defence during the 2019-20 campaign. He featured in 38 matches for the German outfit last season, securing two assists and nine yellow cards across all competitions.
Defensively, Upamecano was in a rich vein of form for Leipzig in European football as he averaged 3.0 tackles, 1.6 interceptions and 3.7 clearances per 90 minutes in the UEFA Champions League (stats via whoscored). The French defensive ace managed to help his current employers reach the Champions League semifinals where they eventually got beaten by Paris Saint-Germain convincingly by a 3-0 scoreline last month.
The Evreux-born youngster has established himself as a fan-favourite at the Red Bull Arena and could be in line to become a world-class centre-back if he can fulfil his potential in the future. He is the type of player Solskjaer should target this summer as he might serve as a perfect partner for Harry Maguire at the Theatre of Dreams.
What Will The French Defender Add To Solskjaer’s Side This Summer?
Upamecano is a brilliant ball-playing centre-half who can be a dominant force on the defensive end of the field. He is proficient at using his upper-body strength to get the better of the opposition inside his half. The Frenchman can also intercept the ball by making a few well-timed tackles at the back and is often quick to deal with the danger when his team is left exposed on the counter.
At 21, Upamecano has a long way to go, but his early career has been quite promising thus far. He has the ceiling to become a household name in European football someday, but there are some doubts over whether he would be able to cope with the high intensity of English football.
Either way, the Leipzig star will be a significant upgrade over any of Solskjaer’s current defensive options at Old Trafford. He will add plenty of bite and steel to the Man United defence and could even give them a realistic shot of winning some major trophies in the coming seasons.
It would be a massive coup for the Red Devils if they can convince Upamecano to make a switch to the north-west of England before the start of the new season. His addition will go a long way in aiding Man United to close the gap to Liverpool and Manchester City at the top of Premier League football.
