Manchester United have struggled under Jose Mourinho this season after suffering some surprising losses so far. The Red Devils are underperforming both at home and on the road which has mainly been down to their poor defensive record during this campaign. The United boss is still unsure about his best centre-back pairing with Victor Lindelof, Phil Jones and Eric Bailly all flattering to deceive while on the pitch.
There is no doubt that Chris Smalling has been the Mancunian outfit’s best defender this season, but the English centre-back needs a reliable partner alongside him. Here are three defensive options for the Red Devils to consider when the transfer window reopens in January.
James Tarkowski
If the Red Devils are looking to go for someone with a bit of Premier League experience, then they can consider making a move for this Burnley defensive prospect. Tarkowski had put in some solid displays at the back under Sean Dyche’s stewardship last season. He has also started this season quite well despite the Clarets’ recent struggles due to their involvement in the UEFA Europa League.
He would be the perfect partner for Chris Smalling and could turn out to a smart signing if Man United can manage to pull off such a deal. The 25-year-old centre-half, who was born in Manchester, has featured in 13 matches for the Lancashire club and has two goals to his name across all competitions.
Dayot Upamecano
The 19-year-old French prospect has caught the eye with some impressive performances for RB Leipzig over the last couple of years. The Bundesliga teenager has already managed to gain a lot of experience at the highest level and at the tender age of 19, he still has a lot of time to develop into a world class defender.
The Reds of Manchester would undoubtedly benefit from having a player of his talents as he would add more competition for places in this Manchester United squad.
Malang Sarr
The teenage centre-back is currently plying his trade at Ligue 1 while representing OGC Nice and has performed immaculately in the top tier of French football. He has made seven appearances for Nice this season and has already become one of the integral members of Patrick Viera’s backline. United would do well to lure him away from French football as it could be tough to convince the 19-year-old wonderkid to switch clubs in the near future.
