According to Le10 Sport (h/t The Sun), Manchester United are weighing up a move for Watford defender Christian Kabasele.
Kabasele, 28, who joined Watford from Belgian side Genk in the summer of 2016, has been a regular member of the Hornets. He has made 88 appearances for them in his three and a half years at Vicarage Road and has established himself in the heart of their defence.
He has played in 13 league games this term and has helped the Hornets with three clean sheets so far. However, he was not included in the squad, which won 3-0 at Dean Court last weekend.
The report adds that West Ham and Newcastle are eyeing the Belgian star, although he is tipped to extend his deal with Watford to 2024. And along with Manchester United, Mikel Arteta’s Arsenal have also entered the race for the centre-back.
Meanwhile, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s side bounced back to winning ways against Norwich City last Saturday after a poor start to the New Year in which they lost to Arsenal and Manchester City, and were held to a 0-0 draw against Wolves.
Though United have not been consistent this season, they are currently 5th in the league table, just 5 points below fourth-placed Chelsea.
However, in a bid to strengthen the squad, the Norwegian has revealed that United would make signings if the right players are available, according to The Guardian.
The manager must prioritize strengthening other key positions instead of going for a centre-back in the transfer market.
Speaking of central defenders, the Red Devils have a number of players available to cover this position. After the departure of Chris Smalling to Roma on loan, Solskjaer filled the gap with Harry Maguire.
The former Sheffield United man, though, has not done exceptionally well but has done a decent job alongside Victor Lindelof. The duo has formed a partnership and remains the first-choice at Old Trafford.
On the other hand, Phil Jones, Marcos Rojo and youngster Axel Tuanzebe are also available at the manager’s disposal. Though they have not been used much due to the tough challenges in various competitions, the substitutes have come in handy in the rotation policy. Eric Bailly has also made himself available after a long-term injury setback.
With such a huge squad available, it may not be wise for United to go in search of another defensive option in Christian Kabasele.
With Lindelof and Maguire establishing themselves at the heart of United’s defence, Kabasele may find it difficult to make it to the starting line-up.
The 28-year-old’s chances of getting into his national side for Euro 2020 might also vanish if he moves to Old Trafford and doesn’t get a chance to start regularly.
United should look to bring in reinforcements to other key areas like the midfield, which really needs a player who can control their game. Therefore, United trying to sign Kabasele would prove to be costly for both, the club and the player himself.
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