Report: Man United join three-way January race for £26 million French star

(Photo by Molly Darlington/Getty Images) Manchester United are looking to improve their defensive unit with the signing of Pierre Kalulu from Juventus. The French defender has done quite well in Italy, and he could cost around £26 million. According to a report from Calciomercato, Manchester United are hoping to sign the player, but they will face competition from Tottenham Hotspur and Aston Villa.It is no secret that Manchester United need to improve defensively. They have looked quite vulnerable at the back in recent months. Signing a quality defender could make a big difference for them. In addition, Harry Maguire is likely to leave the club at the end of the season, and they will need a quality replacement.Kalulu could be attracted to the idea of joining Manchester United. It would be a huge opportunity for him to prove himself in English football. Manchester United are among the biggest clubs in the world, and the opportunity to join them will be hard to turn down.The reported asking price is quite reasonable, and Manchester United has the resources to get the deal done. It will be interesting to see if they follow up on their interest with an official proposal to sign the player.It has been a disappointing season for Manchester United so far, and they will look to do better in the second half of the campaign. They should aim to qualify for the European competition next season.Signing the right players in January could help them bounce back strongly. It will be interesting to see if they decide to sign the Frenchman in the coming days. However, the 25-year-old central defender is an indispensable asset for Juventus, and it seems unlikely that they will sanction his departure in the middle of the season.