Manchester United have (re)added a (not so) new defender to their summer shortlist, according to reports from Portugal this Monday.
Newspaper A Bola says the Red Devils are now ‘closing in’ on Ruben Dias, who’s been linked with the club for a few years now, although the actual content of the article isn’t quite as dramatic.
The reason why a new target has been added to the list is the price of Kalidou Koulibaly, as Napoli’s demands of €96m have led the Old Trafford side to look for cheaper targets.
That’s why Ruben Dias is now part of a group which includes Ajax’s Matthijs de Ligt and Tottenham Hotspur’s Toby Alderweireld.
Dias’ €60m release clause used to look pretty high when Manchester United got first linked to him, but now compared to Koulibaly’s price, the Portuguese defender doesn’t seem expensive at all.
A Bola writes that Benfica’s intention is to raise his release clause to €100m, but since it hasn’t happened so far, the situation could benefit Man United.
Dias has established himself as a key player for the Portuguese side in recent years, starting 94% of their games in the Liga NOS last year, scoring three goals and picking up an assist.
