Former Midfielder Urges Manchester United To Sign $111 Million Defender This Summer

Manchester United have been urged to sign Napoli’s Kalidou Koulibaly by their former midfielder Dwight Yorke ahead of the summer transfer window.

While Koulibaly has been linked with a move to the Old Trafford side for the last 18 months or so, Yorke believes the Senegal captain, whose transfer fee is expected to be around $111 million at Napoli, will be a “perfect fit” and a long-term partner to club’s captain Harry Maguire in the current Man Utd side.

If Man Utd indeed plan to chase the defender this summer, they will have to compete with their Premier League rivals, Liverpool FC, who are understood to be at the pole position in the race to sign Koulibaly.

It was recently reported that Liverpool are planning to offer Dejan Lovren as a part of Koulibaly’s deal to try to get Napoli to reduce the asking price. However, Napoli president Aurelio De Laurentiis has said that the club would turn down any bids of less than $111 million for Koulibaly.

Even though Man Utd have been hit financially due to the coronavirus pandemic, like other clubs, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer is willing to spend money to strengthen his squad for the next season.

“Without a doubt, I think he’s one that everyone is after and if Manchester United are going to make some big signings like they always do, I would definitely [sign him], if we can afford him then why not?"

"I think he is the perfect fit to come into center-half alongside Maguire, that would be awesome to have him there and suddenly we look a proper team then, with the likes of Pogba and Bruno and one of the holding midfielders and the front three forwards as I mentioned,” Yorke told Soccer Youtube Channel Stadium Astro.

Yorke, who won three Premier League and a Champions League trophy with Man Utd between 1998 and 2002, went on to claim that Man Utd have suddenly become a team “everyone will be fearing”.

“The Italian league for me used to be the top league, it’s very difficult. But certainly with everyone after him, what he’s done in the Italian league so far he is a name everyone is after. If he’s one that everyone is after then why should United not go after him? And that sends a clear message that we are hard to beat and certainly with the quality, we are possessing at the minute, for me that’s kind of a no-brainer if I were United at this stage,” the 48-year-old added.

Yorke also said that if he was in Ole’s position, he would definitely be chasing Koulibaly this summer. “If I was Ole or in Ole’s position, I would be persuading to get him because I know how important [it is] to have another center-half of his quality alongside Maguire,” Yorke said.