Manchester United could use Donny van de Beek as bait for Denzel Dumfries | OneFootball

Manchester United are reportedly looking into using Donny van de Beek as bait to strike a deal for Inter Milan’s Denzel Dumfries, who is a long-term target of the club.

United will most likely sell Aaron Wan-Bissaka this summer and despite the strong form of Diogo Dalot, the club have been linked with a new right back ever since Erik ten Hag took the reins in 2022.

United have been credited with an interest in Jeremie Frimpong but with bitter rivals Manchester City also circling, that deal has the potential to become even more complex.

Dumfries has been linked with the 20-time English league champions since Ten Hag’s first summer in charge and he is said to be very keen on a move to Manchester.

Moreover, Dumfries has been described by his national teammate, Frimpong, as “one of the best in the world”.

The Dutch fullback is reportedly available for €25-30 million but in a summer where United will have to be wary of PSR concerns and the very real possibility of no European football next season, INEOS will need to be smart to get the best value out of the market.

Interlive.it have claimed that the Red Devils could use the surplus-to-requirements Donny van de Beek as bait in order to sign Dumfries.

The Serie A champion’s interest in Van de Beek was relayed by The Peoples Person yesterday but it was claimed Inter may not be able to pay for the player outright.

The website reports “it seems that some intermediaries may have had the idea of using him (Van de Beek) as a pawn to bring Dumfries to Manchester United. In practice, the English club could think of an equal exchange between van de Beek and Dumfries.”

However, the deal may never get off the ground as it reportedly “doesn’t suit Inter from any point of view”.

“In the case of an exchange, Inter could only evaluate the name of Aaron Wan-Bissaka, who however United will try to sell in the Premier League for €25 million. However, there is little doubt that Inter are not currently interested in a midfielder: such a purchase would not even have room considering the limits set by the Serie A and UEFA lists.”

However, if a business partner is not found, then the idea of a swap could become more enticing for the Nerazzurri later in the summer.

“The idea of an equal exchange is not contemplated by the Nerazzurri, but it could make sense as the days go by: if no one were to come forward with a concrete proposal, Marotta and Ausilio could think of using the player whose deal is expiring in January 2025, to find a new full-back.”

If Erik ten Hag survives as manager of United, Dumfries is a very realistic target, so it will be interesting to see if the Mancunian side follow up their interest or indeed, offer Van de Beek or Wan-Bissaka as part of any potential swap deal.

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