Manchester United are keen on signing Benfica centre-back Ruben Dias, whose lucrative release clause has been revealed ahead of the summer window.
The 21-year-old has been a fixture in Benfica’s starting XI this season, racking up 48 appearances across all competitions while emerging as one of the finest young centre-backs in Europe.
According to The Sun, the Portuguese star has a £52 million buy-out clause in his existing contract and the Red Devils are hopeful of securing his services to help solve a major issue in the current squad.
Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s side have shipped 52 Premier League goals in total this season and in order for them to improve next year, the defensive crisis must be solved when the market reopens.
The Sun reports that Dias has been on United’s radar for some time, with the Norwegian boss on the lookout for younger players capable of progressing quickly at Old Trafford.
The Benfica star certainly fits that bill and with the likes of Phil Jones, Chris Smalling, Eric Bailly and Marcos Rojo all now facing uncertain futures in Manchester, his arrival at the club could be sanctioned in the coming weeks.
Benfica’s valuation of Dias may seem hefty at this stage of his career, but he has been tipped for a bright future at the highest level and already proved himself as a capable performer in the Champions League.
For United to get back into Europe’s elite competition next season, bringing in a leader at the back is essential, but it remains to be seen whether or not Old Trafford will still have the same allure for talented foreign players when the market reopens.
The Red Devils are not the force they once were and major changes to Solskjaer’s squad have been touted this summer after watching their main Premier League rivals achieve success domestically and in Europe from afar.
Dias would be a welcome addition to United’s ranks and he would surely slot seamlessly into the starting XI at the Theatre of Dreams, but it is not year clear what the final decision on his immediate future will be.
