Such has been Manchester United’s need to sign a centre-back, they appear to be linked with a new name every day.
The latest player to appear in the gossip is Bayern Leverkusen’s Edmond Tapsoba, with suggestions that the club have been monitoring his performances ahead of potentially swooping for his signature.
The Burkina Faso defender has been in brilliant form for the Bundesliga outfit recently and would be the perfect partner for the world’s most expensive defender in Harry Maguire.
After joining from Vitoria Guimaraes in January 2019, Tapsoba has enjoyed a meteoric rise, slotting straight into the first team and making 51 appearances.
His defensive statistics are supremely impressive, too.
In the 2020/21 season alone, he is averaging 2.1 tackles, 1.4 interceptions, 2.4 clearances and 0.8 blocks per game, according to WhoScored. That all adds up to a remarkable 6.7 defensive contributions per game, a truly astounding figure for a player so young.
However, this is even more impressive when looking at the options that Ole Gunnar Solskjaer currently has at his disposal at Old Trafford.
If analysing Victor Lindelof’s statistics, the Swede does not get anywhere near the young Leverkusen defender. Indeed, the current Manchester United man can only boast 0.7 tackles, 0.9 interceptions, 3.1 clearances and 0.6 blocks – just 5.3 defensive contributions per match.
Rated at £36m, just £5.3m more than the fee that the Red Devils paid out for Lindelof, it appears that they would be getting a better and more accomplished, and not to mention younger, defender should they elect to make a move for Tapsoba in the near future.
With the Red Devils reportedly keen to add a central defender to their squad in the upcoming summer transfer window, Tapsoba could well be the perfect arrival at Old Trafford to partner Maguire at the back.
AND in more news, take a look why we think Manchester United should avoid splashing the cash on Borussia Dortmund’s Erling Haaland…