Manchester United change of plans could see them rival Arsenal, Chelsea and Liverpool for £53m transfer

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Manchester United could reportedly be set to make a change of plans in the transfer market as they search for a new signing at centre-back this summer.

It seems clear Jose Mourinho needs an upgrade in that department after some unconvincing form from the likes of Chris Smalling, Phil Jones and Marcos Rojo last season.

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Toby Alderweireld has been strongly linked with the Red Devils, but the Manchester Evening News suggests the club are now looking at alternatives due to Tottenham’s £70million asking price for the Belgian.

The MEN’s report claims United are considering a long list of alternatives, among them the exciting potential signing of Napoli defender Kalidou Koulibaly.

The National recently linked the Senegal international as a target for Arsenal, stating he’d likely cost around £53million, which seems a bargain for a player of his quality, and certainly better value for money than £70m for an older player in Alderweireld.

Chelsea and Liverpool could also be in the running to sign Koulibaly after being mentioned as suitors by Corriere dello Sport, as translated by Sport Witness.

Napoli star Kalidou Koulibaly is a transfer option for Manchester United

Koulibaly looks made for the Premier League and for a bigger club after making fine progress at Napoli, and he’d surely strengthen any of those sides.

It would be a big boost for United if they could land him, however, with Mourinho’s side the closest to rivalling Manchester City for the title last season and surely just a few signings away from seriously closing the gap, while his physically imposing and no-nonsense playing style make him seem an ideal fit for a Mourinho team.

This would be a blow for Arsenal, however, who also need a shake-up as they prepare for life under new manager Unai Emery, with Per Mertesacker retiring and Shkodran Mustafi failing to impress.

Chelsea also have to improve after slipping out of the top four, while Liverpool could also become more serious title contenders with a strong defensive signing to build a more solid foundation on which their immense front three could shine.

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