Gary Neville tells Jason Wilcox NOT to make €22m Man Utd transfer mistake: ‘7/10 every week’ | OneFootball

Gary Neville has urged Manchester United director of football, Jason Wilcox, to keep a long-serving defender, outlining the reasons why selling him would be a mistake, with sources telling TEAMtalk that Real Madrid are keen on him.

Man Utd are in good form under interim-manager Michael Carrick at the moment, with the team currently fourth in the Premier League table. The win against Arsenal at the Emirates Stadium last weekend has seen the Red Devils go above the likes of Chelsea and Liverpool in the standings.

Diogo Dalot started for Man Utd at right-back in a 4-2-3-1 formation and dealt well with the pressure from Arsenal winger Leandro Trossard.

The Portugal international looked comfortable at right-back and produced a no-nonsense performance.

Former Man Utd right-back Gary Neville has shared his opinion on Dalot and has outlined the reasons why the defender should be part of the first team for the long run.

Neville said about Dalot on his Sky Sports podcast: “Another player I want to mention is Diogo Dalot.

“Look, he gets a really harsh view at times off quite a few United fans.

“I actually think there’s a half-decent full back in there. And I want full backs so closely.

“At times I think he gets too involved, but he’s good in the air, he’s athletic, he’s decent on the ball, he can defend his back post.

“I don’t think he’s a world class full back but neither was I. He does a lot of things, and he could even simplify his game a little and focus on feeding people.

“He’s started being more aggressive at getting out to players and then getting back in. The defenders, in general, are really getting that connection in the last two games.

“I think he’s got something about him, Dalot, I think he’s got a 7/10 performance in him every week.

“But we’ve seen him at right and left wing back before, and he’s been exposed so many times.

“If he just played right full-back all the time, I wouldn’t be getting rid of him as a hurry.

“Other people may disagree with me, but I know that position well and I think he can do a decent job for Manchester United.”

Want more breaking transfer lines from original sources? Add TEAMtalk as a preferred source on Google to your favourites list for news you can trust.

Diogo Dalot future at Man Utd uncertain

Dalot joined Man Utd from FC Porto in 2018 for €22million (£19.3m, $26m) when Jose Mourinho was in charge of the Red Devils.

The 26-year-old has made 233 appearances for the Red Devils so far in his career, scoring 10 goals and providing 19 assists in the process.

Dalot is under contract at Man Utd until the summer of 2028, with the club having the option to extend it by another year.

Sources have told TEAMtalk that the future of Dalot at Man Utd is far from certain.

Our transfer insider, Graeme Bailey, reported on December 13, 2025, that Real Madrid are interested in a 2026 summer deal for Dalot.

We understand that Atletico Madrid and Bayern Munich are also long-term admirers of Dalot.

Man Utd director of football, Jason Wilcox, and his staff are discussing the future of Dalot.

While Man Utd are happy with Dalot, they are aware that the former FC Porto star’s next season will require a pay rise.

We understand that Dalot’s camp have approached the Red Devils over a new deal, with the Premier League club now assessing whether they should hand him fresh terms or sell him in the summer of 2026.

Meanwhile, Graeme Bailey has reported that Tottenham Hotspur are exploring a move for a Manchester United forward, who is open to leaving Old Trafford in the final days of the January transfer window.