Manchester United are reportedly on the hunt for Fulham’s Antonee Robinson as manager Erik Ten Hag looks to make defensive reinforcements in the midst of an injury crisis.
The Red Devils spent more than £200million during the course of a busy summer transfer window but have a number of players facing spells on the sidelines forcing the side to ramp up their interest in the American full back, The Sun reports.
Two weeks after signing for £52m in July, Frenchman Leny Yoro fractured his left foot during a friendly game against Arsenal leaving him out for three months.
Luke Shaw is also injured once again and will miss at least one more match after picking up a calf strain at the start of pre-season training with United.
Now the Old Trafford side are getting ready to shell out on another defensive signing as they look to replace the injury-prone Englishman with Robinson.
Manchester United are reportedly on the hunt for Fulham ‘s Antonee Robinson
Luke Shaw is injured once again and will miss at least one more match
The 27-year-old has enjoyed an impressive start to the season at Craven Cottage, notching two assists in his first three games including an excellent ball for Adama Traore’s equaliser against Ipswich on Saturday.
Any move for Robinson would have to wait until January after the window slammed shut on Friday and the defender is not likely to come cheap.
Fulham are said to value the American, who arrived from Wigan in August 2020, at around £30m but will consider letting the star man go at this price.
United’s interest comes after rivals Man City and Italian outfit AC Milan reportedly targeted Robinson last year.
The Red Devils’ hectic transfer window continued right up until deadline day as they completed the signing of Manuel Ugarte from Paris Saint-Germain in a deal worth up to £50.8m.
The 23-year-old Uruguay midfielder signed a contract until June 2029 with the option of another year, although he has not been registered in time to make his debut against Liverpool at Old Trafford this afternoon.
Ugarte’s arrival, which was confirmed just 90 minutes before the transfer deadline, takes United’s spending in this window past £200m. They will pay PSG an initial fee of £42.3m plus up to £8.5m in add-ons.
United’s sporting director Dan Ashworth welcomed the singing of the highly-rated defensive midfielder who has averaged the second highest number of tackles per 90 minutes in Europe’s major leagues since the start of the 2022-23 season.
Ashworth said: ‘Signing Manuel was another of our primary targets for this summer.’
Erik Ten Hag is looking to make defensive reinforcements in the midst of an injury crisis
Manchester United suffered a late defeat against Brighton at the Amex Stadium
With the window now closed, United will have to hope their existing defenders can form something of a bond after Ten Hag’s side slumped to a shock last-minute defeat to Brighton last week.
Joao Pedro’s 95th minute winner gave the Seagulls a deserved victory after Amad Diallo cancelled out Danny Welbeck’s opener.
In the opening match of the campaign, United spurned a host of good chances before finally seeing off Fulham thanks to a Joshua Zirkzee debut goal.
