Manchester United Transfers: Deal For £20m French Defender Is On But Not In January

Premier League giants Manchester United want defenders to add strength to their side and take them in the right direction, as each game now is a must win at this stage, if the club hopes to play in the Champions League once again next season. Manager Louis van Gaal has had some differences with his current defensive line, as performances have at times not been up to the mark, as he might have expected. The Red Devils wanted to sign Athletic Bilbao star Aymeric Laporte, as soon as possible to add to their squad, what had been lacking throughout this season. However, recent reports suggest that any chance United had to land Athletic Bilbao ace Laporte in the January transfer might be already gone now.

Bilbao stand firm and are refusing to sell right now but The Spanish club is expected to do business with the Premier League side next summer, as long as United oblige to fulfill the £20m buy-out clause. This has in a way frustrated Van Gaal who has been in their pursuit of an Athletic player. It seems United will have to be patient over the Laporte deal, just as they were for midfielder Ander Herrera.

Deal for Laporte will not be a easy one to pull-off since he has now become a key man at the back for Bilbao over the last two years. Many expect that the versatile superstar will receive a senior call-up when France national team coach Didier Deschamps announces his next squad ahead of a friendly against Brazil in March. With all these speculations running wild, it would be hard to predict, where the youngster’s future lies.