Manchester United are in need of reinforcements and are now believed to be targeting a former Premier League player, with a report dropping an update on the defender's availability.
Manchester United eye January deals
Following a stop-start campaign under Erik ten Hag, Manchester United fans will feel that additions are necessary this month to bolster a squad that has been hampered by injury and inconsistency over the last few months.
RB Leipzig striker Timo Werner was linked with a move to Old Trafford earlier in the window; however, he is now closing in on a move that will see him join Tottenham Hotspur on loan for the remainder of the season.
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Transfer guru Fabrizio Romano has confirmed the Red Devils missed out on the Germany international as they "decided not to proceed also because it’s not clear yet what kind of player they want" in the forward areas.
Former Manchester United man Louis Saha has now offered up a solution to his old side's striking problem and indicated that they should make a move for Al-Ittihad forward Karim Benzema, as he told Diario AS via the same outlet: "Benzema would change United’s attack, and that’s exactly what they need. He would score goals and ensure better team play. For now, it’s just a dream, but Karim is still very professional."
Nonetheless, new reports have now emerged claiming that Dutchman Ten Hag is actually keen to strengthen his backline instead with the arrival of an experienced defender.
Andreas Christensen transfer update
According to reports in Spain, Barcelona defender Andreas Christensen could now be made available for transfer this year due to falling down the pecking order at the Catalan giants under Xavi. This follows earlier reports this weekend that the Red Devils are interested in Christensen to replace Raphael Varane.
The new update claims the return of La Blaugrana youngster Chadi Riad in the summer will pave the way for the Denmark international to move on.
Five similar players to Andreas Christensen (FBRef)
Player
Club
Dayot Upamecano
Bayern Munich
Nacho
Real Madrid
Amir Rrahmani
Napoli
Eric Garcia
Girona
Kim Min-jae
Bayern Munich
Given that he arrived at Barcelona on a free transfer, former Chelsea star Christensen is viewed as a player the La Liga outfit can make a healthy profit on. Newcastle United are also believed to be keen on the 27-year-old; however, it has been made clear that he won't leave his current employers in January.
Labelled "very reliable" by former boss Thomas Tuchel, Christensen has still managed to rack up 20 appearances in all competitions for Barcelona this campaign, contributing with a single assist in the process (Christensen statistics – Transfermarkt).
Proven at Premier League level, the £198k-a-week Christensen could be an ideal signing for Manchester United that would provide stability moving forward at Old Trafford.