Man United must target these three defensive stars with Lewis Hall off-the-table | OneFootball

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Manchester United have been focusing this window on signing midfielders, and they have successfully brought in Andrey Santos, Youri Tielemans, and Carlos Baleba. United are also looking at left-back options and strikers before the closing of the window on Tuesday, 1st September.

The Red Devils have been linked with Lewis Hall of Newcastle United all summer, but it appears that they will not be able to make a move until next season at the earliest. In addition, there were strong rumours connecting United to FC Barcelona’s Alejandro Balde , but news broke earlier this week that the Catalan defender wanted to stay and fight for his place at the Camp Nou.

Here are three options who United could pursue before the end of the window.

Jorge Salinas

United will likely want to keep a lot of their budget for a big left-back signing next summer, so Salinas offers an attractive proposition.

The Spaniard has a release clause of just €16 million to get him out of Racing Santander and would represent an exciting but low-cost option. Salinas is highly rated in Spain and has been attracting the interest of FC Barcelona.

He has been described as someone who “excels in defensive skills and technical ability.” What’s more, “he has the potential to become an excellent, versatile, and modern full-back. A player with a similar profile in today’s game is definitely Gvardiol.”

Nonetheless, there is acceptance that his attacking game is still a little raw and that he will need time and patience to work on this. At just 19 years old, Salinas would have no problem backing up Luke Shaw or Patrick Dorgu as he learns the ropes.

David Raum

Another player the Red Devils have been linked to regularly is German David Raum.

He represents a player at the other end of the scale, a veteran of 28 years old, but his price tag would also be significantly higher. United have reportedly been quoted around £40 million, which may prove to be too steep for United to consider this summer.

The Red Bull Leipzig defender has played for Germany 39 times and would bring valuable experience to the side. In addition, Raum brings attacking talent that Salinas perhaps does not yet possess.

He has been described as a player who has “unmatched attacking power” for a defender “with a top speed of 35.25km/h, he is one of the fastest Bundesliga players.”

He is also an excellent presser of the ball and can be a very powerful defender who loves to compete in duels.

In addition, “he can be a team’s emotional leader. With his power, energy, and positivity David can be an important pillar in any team.”

Adrien Truffert

Finally, another option to bolster United’s full-back depth is AFC Bournemouth’s Adrien Truffert.

The Frenchman fits into Ineos’ preferred profile of being Premier League-proven.

The 24-year-old is still young but also has significant experience. He has been described as a player who has a “constant presence in covering ground and disrupting opposition attacks.”

What’s more, he is more than just a defender as he can take players on with confidence and deliver a cross when required. Overall, “he boasts robust defensive statistics, coupled with commendable attacking attributes and solid build-up play.”

Final thoughts

Whilst all three options would represent a positive addition in their own right, Salinas probably best fits Ineos’ plan.

Raum is excellent but they are unlikely to spend so much money on a 28-year-old with no Premier League experience. Moreover, Truffert would be a terrific get, but he will not be available this late in the window, and with United wanting Hall in the future, signing both of them would be redundant.

Therefore, even though Salinas is easily the rawest player on the list, he can come in with little pressure as a relatively cheap back-up and prove himself. Also, his addition would not hinder a potential move for the club’s top target next summer, Hall.

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