Serie A club set to launch late bid to sign Manchester United defender this summer - Reports
Manchester United defender Victor Lindelof could join a host of players who have left Old Trafford this summer, with a move to Lazio reportedly in the works. According to Sky Italia (via Tribal Football), the Serie A club are making preparations to launch a late bid to sign the Swedish defender.
A number of defenders have seen the doors open wide for their exit from United this summer. Raphael Varane was one of the first to leave on a free transfer. Aaron Wan-Bissaka has followed suit, with a switch to West Ham United, where he impressed on his debut.
Victor Lindelof could well be the next player to leave after his wife Maja opened up about a potential exit during an appearance on the Ursakta podcast. She said (via United in Focus):
“I have started a grieving process because we don’t know. You never know what will happen.”
This will only add fuel to the rumors around Lazio's reported strong interest in the defender, who played 259 appearances for Manchester United. The Serie A outfit are looking to make defensive reinforcements in due course, and they view Lindelof as a viable option ahead of deadline day on August 30.
Manchester United manager Erik ten Hag speaks about players struggling with game time
Players like Victor Lindelof may struggle to find any playing time at Manchester United. Last season, the defender made only 19 Premier League appearances for the Old Trafford outfit.
With the addition of new defenders like Leny Yoro and Matthijs de Ligt, it is unlikely that he will get any more game time in the coming seasons. For United boss Erik ten Hag, some players may have to deal with little playing time, as he revealed.
Speaking about players potentially dealing with minimal playing time, he said (via BBC):
"The attitude of the players is very important, sometimes they will be disappointed but they have to deal with it. You don’t win with 11 [players], you win with a squad. The prizes are decided next May and until then we need all the players in the squad highly motivated to contribute."
"That is not an expectation, that is a demand from the club and from me as manager of the squad. The team is always more important than any one individual."
Manchester United struggled with injuries last season but if they have a fully fit squad this time around, a number of players will not get the game time they desire. They will have to impress the manager and fight for a spot, especially if they are to remain at Old Trafford.