Manchester United and Liverpool are reportedly interested in signing VfB Stuttgart star Finn Jeltsch, as per Caught Offside.
The Red Devils currently have Matthijs de Ligt, Leny Yoro, Harry Maguire, Ayden Heaven, and Lisandro Martínez as options to deploy in the centre-back positions.
However, De Ligt has been sidelined with a back issue for several months, while Yoro has struggled to find his feet in the Premier League since joining from LOSC Lille.
Maguire, on the other hand, has reached the twilight of his career, and his existing deal is set to run until next summer. Martinez has struggled with fitness problems over the last few years and has entered the final year of his current deal.
Heaven, meanwhile, is still very young and his game time needs to be managed carefully to help him reach his full potential. With Martínez and Maguire’s long-term future currently uncertain, United appear to have started exploring options to reinforce the backline.
Caught Offside state that Man Utd have expressed their interest in Jeltsch after being impressed by his recent eye-catching performances. United admire his technical qualities and composure in possession.
However, finalising the operation won’t be straightforward for the Old Trafford club as Liverpool, Arsenal and Juventus have also followed his development closely. But Bayern Munich are currently the strongest contenders to secure his services.
Battle
The report state that with Jeltsch’s existing deal set to run until 2030, Stuttgart are in a strong position to demand a big fee if they are forced to cash-in.
However, Jeltsch isn’t pushing to leave the German side at the moment as he is willing to focus on his development and is excited by the prospect of playing in the Champions League.
Liverpool have bolstered the defence by signing Jeremy Jacquet and Ronald Araujo this summer, but the Uruguayan international has joined on loan. On the other hand, Giovanni Leoni and Joe Gomez have struggled with fitness problems in recent years, while Virgil Van Dijk has reached the twilight of his career.
The 20-year-old is a 6ft 2in tall versatile defender. He is comfortable with both feet and can provide cover in the centre-back and right-back positions. So, he might be a shrewd acquisition for Man Utd or Liverpool should either club purchase him.
