Man Utd 'step up' transfer pursuit for William Saliba replacement with talks already held

Manchester United are believed to be chasing a move for William Saliba's replacement in the latest France squad.

Posted Wednesday, March 22, 2023 by Express.co.uk

Manchester United have reportedly stepped up their interest in Monaco defender Axel Disasi, who was recently called into the France squad by Didier Deschamps to replace injured Arsenal centre-back William Saliba. The Red Devils are believed to be in the market for defensive reinforcements ahead of next season and are thought to have taken a liking to Disasi as a result of his impressive performances at Monaco in recent months.

Disasi, who can play at centre-back or on the right-hand side of a back four, has started in all but one of Monaco's league games this season and is believed to be attracting interest from some of Europe's biggest clubs. United are said to have been tracking Disasi's progress for some time and are now prepared to step up their pursuit of his signature in advance of the summer transfer window, according to the Daily Mail.

It is said that United have joined several of their Premier League rivals in making contact over Disasi, with talks said to be ongoing behind closed doors. He remains contracted to Monaco until the summer of 2025 but the French club are reportedly willing to cash in this summer for a transfer fee of around £44million, which has given United hope that a deal could be struck to land the 25-year-old over the coming months.

United's desire to sign a new centre-back stems from the ongoing uncertainty over the futures of Harry Maguire and Victor Lindelof, who have both been linked with moves away from Old Trafford at the end of the campaign. Disasi would certainly be a shrewd addition for the Red Devils based on his showings this season, although they are unlikely to be the only club with a serious interest in snapping him up.

United are reportedly in talks over a summer move for Monaco defender Axel Disasi

The likes of Paris Saint-Germain, Bayern Munich, Tottenham and West Ham are all said to be rivalling United in the race to land Disasi and it remains to be seen where the Frenchman will end up when the summer transfer window draws to a close. He has already set tongues wagging on English shores by revealing last year that he would like to play in the Premier League at some point before he eventually hangs up his boots.

"I like England, it is a very exciting league," said Disasi. "We can say that it is my favourite league. Between Paris and the Premier League? The place where I can progress the most."

PSG reportedly made an approach to sign Disasi in January but Monaco were unwilling to let him go in the middle of the season, especially after losing fellow defender Benoit Badiashile to Chelsea. However, it seems as though the Parisian giants could be poised to emerge as United's main rivals in the battle to land Disasi when the bidding re-opens later this year.

His stock will only continue to rise if he helps Monaco to secure a top-four finish in Ligue 1 at the end of the season, which could see an intense bidding war take shape in the weeks leading up to the summer transfer window. Only time will tell where Disasi will play his football next season, although United will seemingly be hoping to jump ahead of the competition by making early progress in their ongoing talks.