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Sources: Man United hijack AC Milan deal for Sven Botman
Man United are hijacking AC Milan’s deal for Sven Botman, Football Insider understands.
The Italian giants are in advanced talks to sign the defender, 22, in a deal worth around £25million.
Now a United source has told Football Insider that the club are exploring a move for Botman in what amounts to a sensational twist.
New manager Erik ten Hag held a transfer summit with director of football John Murtough, long-time Ajax assistant Mitchell van der Gaag and Steve McClaren in Amsterdam last week to discuss potential transfer targets.
Botman is understood to have come up in those talks and it was agreed that preliminary talks would take place.
United are in the market for central defensive reinforcements and ten Hag is understood to be an admirer of the left-sided centre-back.
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Botman matches the profile of a left-sided centre-back that Ten Hag feels is needed to bolster his squad and is among a number of defenders being monitored ahead of the summer.
The Dutch defender through the ranks at Ajax before joining Lille in the summer of 2020.
Botman has excelled at Lille and also impressed in the Champions League.
Newcastle tried to sign Botman during the January transfer window and they remain keen on him this summer.
The Netherlands Under-21 star is under contract at Stade Pierre-Mauroy until 2025.
He has made 78 appearances for Lille, 31 of which have come this season.
Last season’s Ligue 1 champions have won just two of the 12 league games he has missed through injury this term.
In other news, finance guru suggests Man United have not told whole truth as Patrick Coyle exits in “orchestrated” plot.