Man Utd ‘chase’ Arsenal target as replacement for £22m player ‘likely’ to be sold in the summer
Man Utd have reportedly joined Arsenal in targeting Real Valladolid defender Ivan Fresneda, who would be a replacement for Aaron Wan-Bissaka.
The Red Devils have been linked with several right-backs this season as Wan-Bissaka was down the pecking order prior to the World Cup.
Erik ten Hag likes to have two viable options at full-back. He has that on the left with Tyrell Malacia and Luke Shaw but he relied solely upon Diogo Dalot at the start of this season.
Dalot was one of United’s best players during the opening few months of this campaign, but Wan-Bissaka has gained the trust of Ten Hag as he has featured prominently in recent weeks.
Speaking at the end of December, Ten Hag pointed out that Wan-Bissaka has been doing “really well” since the World Cup break.
“First you have to be on the pitch, and in the first half of the season he was either injured or ill so he didn’t have a role in the squad,” Ten Hag said.
“So I think the break was good for him. He returned, he was in the training camp in Spain and could play some games in preparation for the restart, and now he’s playing two games and he’s doing really well so I’m happy with his performance.
“We need competition in the squad. He has to play games in the team and then he can develop, then he can grow.”
Despite this, Football Insider are reporting that there are ‘doubts’ over Wan-Bissaka’s long-term future at Man Utd.
The Premier League side are said to value Wan-Bissaka at £22m and a sale in the summer is viewed as the ‘most likely outcome’ for the defender. A move to West Ham is on the cards as they ‘remain keen’ to sign him.
Man Utd are reportedly actively seeking a replacement and they are ‘chasing’ Fresneda as they have ‘really active interest’ in the teenager.
United’s scouts ‘have tracked the Spanish wonderkid over the past few weeks and the club are laying the groundwork for a potential swoop’.
Fresneda was targeted by Arsenal and Borussia Dortmund during the January transfer window. Real Valladolid are able to demand a decent fee for the youngster as he is under contract until 2025.
The defender was targeted by Arsenal as they looked to recruit a replacement for Cedric Soares, who joined rivals Fulham during the same transfer window.
Club legend Emmanuel Petit has suggested that Fresneda is a player who is dangerous going forward and he has “good technique”.
“He’s [Fresneda] powerful and has good technique. He gets forward well and has great energy.”
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