Man Utd ‘deposit’ £43m for ‘physical marvel’ as Red Devils ‘KO’ Real Madrid | OneFootball

Giorgio Scalvini tilts his head during a Serie A match.

Man Utd are attempting to buy Atalanta centre-back Giorgio Scalvini in the January transfer market, according to reports.

There have been rumours this week that the Red Devils could look to renew the contracts if Victor Lindelof and Raphael Varane despite frustration at their performances and injuries.

“If United are looking to renew Lindelof and Varane (on reduced terms) I’m worried,” Neville wrote on X on New Year’s Eve.

“We have to start afresh as much as possible. Whilst these 2 aren’t bad players by any stretch, a message must be sent to everyone inside and outside of the club that it’s not going to tolerate the levels over the last few years.”

But that is unlikely to stop them looking to improve their centre-back department with rumours that Ten Hag wants to get a deal for Scalvini over the line.

As well as Varane and Lindelof, Man Utd have the injured Lisandro Martinez as their first-choice option, while Harry Maguire and Jonny Evans have both been used well this campaign.

However, Spanish publication Nacional insists Man Utd are trying to add Scalvini to their list of centre-backs with the Italy international once again impressing in Serie A this campaign.

The report claims Man Utd have ‘deposited’ €50m (£43m) to Atalanta in order to buy Scalvini to ‘KO’ Real Madrid president Florentino Perez.

Despite saying it’s a knockout blow for Real Madrid, the report adds that Los Blancos ‘will have to intervene quickly’ if they want to get back in the race for the defender.

Man Utd and Real Madrid are expecting ‘great competition’ in January for the Atalanta star with the Red Devils putting the 20-year-old ‘on their priority list’.

Nacional describe Scalvini as an aerial ‘specialist’ and ‘a physical marvel’ who has ‘good ball output’ with the Atalanta youth product ‘awaiting the call’ from Perez and Real Madrid to give him another option over Man Utd.

Ahead of the transfer window, Ten Hag gave an insight into his thoughts on the two centre-back positions moving forward, he said: “There are moments in certain games where they (Maguire and Varane) can play together and they have already proven they can do it.

“But the build-up is not that fluid when one of them is playing from the left centre-back position.

“Because I think Licha, obviously, Luke Shaw, obviously, Jonny Evans and Victor Lindelof are right-footed, but they can play really comfortably with their left and make the right angles. Then you can construct a better formation where you can start to play.”