Manchester United, Manchester City and Chelsea have all made inquiries about a possible summer move to Inter for Slovakian centre-back Milan Skriniar.
All three Premier League sides are in the market for a new defender and the screener could be a better long-term investment than Napoli’s Kaleido Koulibaly.
Skriniar has impressed since joining Inter in 2017 / MB Media/Getty Images
Manchester United are primarily targeting winger Jadon Sancho, but the arrival of Paul Pogba has prompted a re-evaluation of whether the club need an attacking midfielder like Jack Grealish, and if the money is worth it at the back. Might be better spent on strengthening.
90 Minutes revealed in April that Manchester City, who opted against bringing in a replacement for Vincent Kompany last year, are specifically eyeing at least one new centre-back this summer. Bayer Leverkusen’s Jonathan Tah and RB Leipzig’s Dayot Upamecano are among those they have watched.
Meanwhile, Chelsea have conceded more goals than any other team in the Premier League’s top half this season, a poor record that has held back an otherwise promising young squad.
It was Koulibaly who has long been regarded as Europe’s best available centre-back. Napoli are ready to let go of the 29-year-old Senegal international and the latest gossip suggests the Serie A club have demanded £65m – down from £80m+ previously.
Kalidou Koulibaly, 29, lacks long-term potential / Francesco Pecoraro/Getty Images
However, 90 Minutes have reported that Skriniar is now emerging as a credible alternative and that United, City and Chelsea have all held talks about the 25-year-old.
Skriniar, who joined Inter from Sampdoria in the summer of 2017, only signed a new contract at the San Siro last summer, putting Inter in a strong position to demand a premium price. .
United, City and Chelsea quickly learned that Inter would not let him go cheap, with the player costing around £75m, the same as Liverpool paid for Virgil van Dijk in January 2018. That has not scared off potential suitors as they believe Skriniar, who is four years younger, still has room to grow and improve.
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