Man Utd plotting £70m swoop for powerhouse centre-back who threatens futures of two stars | OneFootball

Manchester United are reportedly plotting a £70million move for a Premier League centre-back to replace long-serving star Harry Maguire this summer, while another Red Devils star could also see his place threatened by the new arrival.

England defender Maguire has been at United since 2019, but his future at Old Trafford remains uncertain, given that his existing deal expires at the end of June and there are currently no renewal talks planned.

While the 32-year-old was hardly a regular under previous boss Ruben Amorim, largely due to injury issues, his exit would leave a space in the squad for more centre-back depth, especially on the left side.

Whoever takes over from caretaker boss Michael Carrick in the summer will arguably want more quality in a position where Man Utd have had plenty of injury issues when it comes to the likes of Maguire, Lisandro Martinez and Matthijs de Ligt.

Luke Shaw is also not an option in a conventional back four, leaving the Red Devils hunting a new signing from a Premier League rival in the shape of Nottingham Forest star Murillo.

It’s not the first time the Brazilian has been linked with a move to Old Trafford, but the Daily Mail now has an update on United’s chase for the 23-year-old.

Their report suggests that Murillo, who is expected to cost around £70m, is being lined up as a Maguire replacement, despite the fact he only penned a new deal at the City Ground a year ago.

Murillo targeting new challenge

The Mail states that the Forest star has his sights on ‘pursuing a bigger challenge away from The Tricky Trees’ during the next transfer window.

Indeed, it’s claimed that Murillo could push for a move unless Sean Dyche’s side qualify for the Champions League by winning the Europa League, which looks a tall order given some of the top sides in that competition.

Murillo is naturally left-sided, which would make him an immediate threat to Martinez, while his physical frame and presence also makes him a set-piece threat.

Despite Forest’s struggles at the wrong end of the table this season, Murillo has still performed at a high level. Indeed, he has won 60 percent of his duels, while also registering two tackles, four recoveries and five clearances per game.

His passing accuracy needs some work, standing at just 84 percent, although Forest are not as possession-based as many of their Premier League rivals, so that comes as no real surprise.

As we stated earlier, Murillo has been heavily linked with a switch to Old Trafford before, going back to before the summer window in 2024. However, if it becomes clear that the Brazilian could be on the market, United could face a fight for his signature.

Liverpool, Chelsea and Arsenal have all shown interest in the past, although the latter have a plethora of centre-back options, so a switch to The Emirates looks highly unlikely.

Arne Slot’s men, however, face the prospect of losing Ibrahima Konate this summer, while a move for Marc Guehi is not as certain as it once was due to Manchester City interest in the Crystal Palace star.

As for Chelsea, they now have Liam Rosenior at the helm, and it’s unclear at this stage what positions the new Blues boss is targeting to strengthen his side. Our sources, though, have constantly reported on the club looking to upgrade the centre of their defence, so a move should not be ruled out for Murillo.

Manchester United are moving away from targeting Paris Saint-Germain boss Luis Enrique for a surprising reason, according to a journalist, while Gary Neville has named two ‘standout’ options from a list of four targets.

Elsewhere, Fabrizio Romano has dropped telling hints on two rumoured United transfers during the remaining weeks of the January window.

Finally, another report claims Bruno Fernandes has reached the end of his tether at Manchester United and this time, the fresh update has outlined where he’s expected to go