Man Utd make approach to sign £25m defender compared to Lisandro Martinez

Manchester United have made contact to sign an international defender who has been likened to Red Devils star Lisandro Martinez.

New Man Utd stadium could impact spending on squad

Sir Jim Ratcliffe and INEOS have announced eye-catching plans to build a new 100,000 capacity stadium for Man Utd this week.

When asked about what excites him the most about the new stadium, Ratcliffe said: “I think it’s the scale of 100,000 people in a stadium. I’ve only ever been to one stadium with 100,000 people. That was the Nou Camp and I was there for the 1999 final against Bayern Munich. And I mean it’s a thing you can never forget because it’s so impressive to be there among 100,000 fans screaming and shouting.

“I like design, it’s something that I enjoy in my life, and I think the design of the stadium is a 10 out of 10. I think it’s a really special design that Norman Foster’s inspired.”

However, the proposed £2bn new stadium could come at a short-term cost for manager Ruben amorim in the transfer market.

It has been claimed by CEO Omar Berlada that the new stadium could impact the club’s ability to spend over the next five years when it comes to strengthening the first team squad.

“That is a risk. Clearly it’s something we want to avoid. We don’t want to inhibit our ability to invest in the team, for us to continue being competitive while we are building a new stadium.”

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Despite this, there have been plenty of rumours regarding Man Utd and summer signings ahead of Amorim’s first season in charge.

Barcelona midfielder Fermin Lopez is just one reported latest target for the Red Devils, and now, a defensive addition appears to be on United’s to-do list.

According to reports in Italy, relayed by Sport Witness, Man Utd have made contact over a possible move to sign Genoa defender Koni de Winter this summer.

The 22-year-old, who is a Belgium international, joined Genoa on a permanent basis from Juventus last summer, and the Serie A side could look to make a quick profit by selling De Winter for €30m (£25m).

The Red Devils aren’t alone, though, with Premier League rivals Tottenham and West Ham also asking for information regarding De Winter.

As can be seen, Football Transfers have already likened De Winter to a number of impressive defenders, including Martinez due to his versatility and ability on the ball. De Winter can play as a centre-back, right-back or defensive midfielder, so would provide Amorim with a useful option at the back, should a move materialise, making this one to watch.