New Manchester United manager Erik Ten Hag has identified the center-back as a problematic position for the club after the English giants finished the season with a goal difference of zero. The English club has increased its interest in the defense of SC Braga David Carmo.
The former Ajax coach’s favorite option is compatriot Jurrien Timber, who may also be a right-back. But in case the deal fails, the club is also in talks with the Premier League club for left-backs, according to the Manchester Evening News. United have already held two rounds of talks with the player’s representatives.
The 22-year-old is a physically imposing defender, stands at an impressive 6 feet 5 inches tall and received his first call-up for the national team last week.
After returning from a disastrous ankle injury, the former Benfica youth product has been growing and has aroused the interest of players such as Liverpool and Tottenham Hotspur with their senseless defensive style.
His physique would also fit in well in the Premier League and being a natural left-back is another advantage with the Red Devils currently without a left-back since they sold Marcos Rojo.
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Erik Ten Hag is aware of the defensive weaknesses of his new team. Harry Maguire, Raphael Varane and Victor Lindelof had poor seasons.
Outings are also expected with Eric Bailly, Phil Jones and academy graduate Axel Tuanzebe who are likely to leave the club this summer. Therefore, defensive additions will be needed.
Timber would be the ideal signing, as he had played with Ten Hag at Ajax. But the Premier League is a completely different beast and getting a starting spot is automatically not how things will work. In a World Cup year, it will be essential for the Dutch star to have a regular playing time.
“You can go to a big club. But if you don’t play there, you better stay with Ajax. And Ajax is also a great club. We play football in the Champions League and I play with the best players in the Netherlands. That’s nothing, ”Timber had said.
The English giants have also had a long-standing interest in defending Villarreal’s Pau Torres. But without the Champions League to offer, a similar deal seems unlikely at the moment.
Given these factors, a move for the Portuguese under-20 international makes sense. Carmo would possibly be a much cheaper alternative to Torres and also has the experience of playing in the Europa League, playing against players like Leicester City and Rangers. It currently has a € 40 million termination clause, but it could come for much less.
It may not be the finished product, but Ten Hag has shown the ability to nurture talent and Carmo could prove to be a master stroke of an acquisition if the deal comes to fruition. It also makes sense for the English giants to keep the alternatives ready at this stage.