Man Utd reportedly see Porto defender Eder Militao as an alternative to Kalidou Koulibaly but the 20-year-old won’t be cheap either.
The Red Devils have been nowhere near good enough defensively so far this season, conceding 26 goals in just 16 Premier League games.
That in turn gives them the joint-worst defensive record of the top 13 sides in the standings, and it arguably goes a long way in explaining why they continue to struggle to keep up the pace with the top four.
Given Jose Mourinho has countless options in that department, it’s difficult to understand why they’ve been so porous, but according to The Times, not only is Koulibaly a possible solution, but so is Eder, who has a €50m release clause in his current contract with Porto.
It’s suggested that the Brazilian international could be the preferred option given he’s seven years younger than Koulibaly, but when it comes to experience, leadership and a proven track record, the Senegal international surely wins hands down every time given his impressive stint in Serie A.
Nevertheless, it’s suggested that Napoli value him at over £90m, and so with that huge figure in mind perhaps it does indeed make more sense for Man Utd to look at Eder instead.
Mourinho’s men remain eight points adrift of the top four, while they sit 16 points behind leaders Liverpool.
With their hopes of qualifying for the Champions League on the line, it remains to be seen if the board are willing to back Mourinho in the winter transfer market and bring in some crucial reinforcements for the second half of the campaign.
