Manchester United are preparing to battle Real Madrid for the signing of a midfielder who has a vast resume of trophies, including the World Cup.
The winter transfer window is just two months away from opening, and while business can not begin just yet, clubs will be looking at who they could sign once it does open. One side that could be busy this winter is Manchester United, who will see Portuguese manager Ruben Amorim take over the helm once the international break concludes.
Meanwhile, Real Madrid have not had the brightest of starts in La Liga and could be looking to improve their squad in the January transfer window. It appears that both sides have now set their sights on the same target, a veteran midfielder who has performed at the highest of levels.
Is World Cup winner on Manchester United’s wishlist?
One area that is frequently identified as a problem for the Red Devils is the midfield department. The club has seen some legendary midfielders over the years, with the likes of Paul Scholes and David Beckham once vital to that part of the pitch. However, over the years, they have seen some players in central midfield sign for the club, with the likes of Paul Pogba as one midfielder who did not live up to the expectations of the Frenchman upon his homecoming.
While Pogba’s career is set for revival in January, we are yet to see a club emerge as a contender to sign the once-great centre midfielder. United seem to have set their sights on one of Pogba’s World Cup-winning teammates, N’Golo Kante, if reports are to be believed. Fichajes report that both Real Madrid and Manchester United value the signing of Kante, who could be available for as little as €15 million. A fee like that could easily be considered a bargain for a player who has achieved as much as the 33-year-old has.
Is Manchester United or Real Madrid the right destination for Kante?
Both sides could be an ideal fit for the Frenchman, but United would be the more likely suit for the likes of Kante. The 33-year-old has been consistent over the years, playing a key role in France’s Euro 2024 campaign, a selection which seemed unlikely given the issues the midfielder faced with injury while still at Chelsea.
His time in Saudi Arabia has seen him return to form, picking up consistent game time, almost 800 minutes in nine games, meaning he could be ready to return to Europe’s elite divisions for one last time before hanging up his boots. The midfielder may be one player who shot above the levels that were expected of him, part of the legendary Leicester City side who defied the odds to win the Premier League, and was one of that squad who got a big money move for their performances in that season.
At his age, he may not be a starter every week, but for the likes of United, he would bring some experience to a young squad and help the likes of Manuel Ugarte settle into England’s top flight, and the presence of a Premier League winner in the team could only be positive for them.
At the same time, Madrid is a side that seems unsettled with a poor start to the campaign and personalities such as Kylian Mbappe and Vinicius Jr. among the ranks; the latter has been linked with an exit from the Bernabeu in the future. Kante’s presence could help settle things down for the squad, but Los Blancos already have a veteran in the squad, meaning there may be more needed than just that if Luka Modric has no impact on proceedings already.