Dimitar Berbatov has named the player who could improve Manchester United's defence going into next season.
Alongside a new defensive midfielder, United are looking to bring in a centre-back as a priority in the summer. MEN Sport reported this week that Eric Bailly and Phil Jones have both informed their current teammates that they intend to leave the club in the summer.
Bailly's current deal expires in 2024 while Jones' comes to an end in a year's time. United have conceded the joint eighth highest amount of goals in the Premier League this season and, not for David de Gea's regular heroics, it could have been a lot more.
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Therefore it is unsurprising that United are looking to strengthen their defence this season. And, speaking to Betfair, Berbatov named a player who could improve United's defensive fortunes.
"Monaco's Benoit Badiashile has been linked to Man United, I think he is definitely one for the future," he explained. "His performances must have caught the eye of a number of teams, he's 21 and if the rumours are true then it shows that United are looking to build for the future.
"If he is a player that Ten Hag has pointed out, then he must know what he wants, if that is the case then we have to believe in him and that he is the right player for the position. He is still young and he can still get better.
"Defence is an area of improvement for United. At times, they get lots of criticism for their defending, sometimes justified, especially Harry Maguire who has come under lots of fire for his performances, as well as others who aren't producing enough quality on the pitch.
"Maybe it's time to shake things up, like Rangnick said, some players are going to go, they will need replacing. Defence is a major concern for United and they need to strengthen there for sure. Badiashile could be a good option for the future and for the rebuild."
Badiashile claimed back in 2020 that he had rejected the chance to join United that summer, but did reveal this week that he had been in contact with an unnamed English club regarding a move. The 21-year-old has been a big part of Monaco's side this season and has already managed a century of appearances for the Ligue 1 club.
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