Manchester United continue to be linked with potential centre back signings with changes surely coming as Ineos approach their first transfer window at Old Trafford.
United have invested big money in centre backs over the years but are still searching for the right formula at the back.
The current expectation is that Raphael Varane will be on his way out this summer having failed to really live up to expectations in his three years at United.
Veteran Jonny Evans is out of contract and Victor Lindelof could yet leave despite having a one-year option in his contract triggered earlier this season.
Harry Maguire appears to have salvaged his United career but Lisandro Martinez’s injury woes leave United needing more centre back options.
The list of centre backs being linked with United just goes on and on; Marc Guehi, Jarrad Branthwaite, Max Kilman, Castello Lukeba and Alessandro Bastoni have all been mentioned.
That is a real mixture of profiles; some homegrown, some foreign, some right-footed, some left-footed; in truth, United may need to tick multiple boxes this summer.
Manchester United keen on Tosin Adarabioyo
Previous reports indicate that Sir Jim Ratcliffe and Ineos wants United to focus on signing homegrown players.
With that in mind, Caught Offside now claim that United are admirers of Fulham centre back Tosin Adarabioyo.
It’s suggested that Tottenham and West Ham United are leading the race right now but United are interested too.
Adarabioyo is out of contract this summer and he has absolutely no intention of signing a new deal as things stand.
Fabrizio Romano claims that Adarabioyo has already told Fulham that he will be leaving the club on a free transfer this summer.
That will be a huge blow for Fulham boss Marco Silva, who has hailed Adarabioyo as a ‘special’ player.
Premier League clubs are now queueing up to sign Adarabioyo, who hails from Manchester and came up in the Manchester City youth ranks.
Adarabioyo makes sense for Manchester United
Adarabioyo will be hugely appealing to United for a host of reasons.
A huge presence at 6ft 5in tall, Adarabioyo is a homegrown player who can join on a free transfer, freeing up cash for a potential left-footed addition elsewhere in the window.
Adarabioyo is also very familiar with United’s new technical director Jason Wilcox.
Wilcox oversaw Adarabioyo’s development in the City ranks and United fans even suspected that Adarabioyo would be heading to Old Trafford in a reunion.
Wilcox handed Adarabioyo the Under-18 captaincy at City when he was just 16, seeing leadership traits in the defender at a very young age.
Adarabioyo now has plenty of Premier League experience and still has some untapped potential at 26, so you can certainly see how United would see him as a potential signing.
Maguire and Adarabioyo battling for the right side spot and adding another left-footed to offer cover and competition for Martinez may be the right blend for United and we wouldn’t be surprised to see the Adarabioyo interest ramp up as his contract winds down.