Ligue 1 side’s imposing skipper on United’s radar, €8m could see INEOS solve key problem for years to come – report

With Jonny Evans and Victor Lindelof leaving, Manchester United could do with reinforcements at the back, and links with long-term target Arouna Sangante have resurfaced.

The Le Havre skipper was a genuine target back when Erik ten Hag was in charge, and the Red Devils regularly carried out scouting missions to keep track of the defender’s progress.

The Senegalese was in top-notch form during the 23/24 season, helping keep seven clean sheets in Ligue 1, but last season saw him miss quite a few games due to injury.

When fit, the 23-year-old was an asset, as he got on the scoresheet thrice as Le Havre survived the threat of relegation.

Arouna Sangante back on United’s radar

The French side, who have already sold academy sensation Enzo Kana-Biyik to the 20-time English league champions, are open to Sangante’s departure with lots of clubs circling.

Apart from the Old Trafford side, Nottingham Forest are also eager to land the Senegal international while clubs from Italy, Germany and France are also ready to pounce should the English clubs stay away from submitting a concrete offer.

The centre-back’s contract ends in 2026, and this might be the last chance for Le Havre to recoup a decent fee from their captain’s sale, with the player valued at €8 million as per Le Quotidien.

“Manchester United are looking to turn the page on a disappointing season, and that starts with solid reinforcements. In their search for new recruits, the Red Devils are reportedly looking closely at Ligue 1.

“Among the names being mentioned is Arouna Sangante. The 23-year-old Senegalese defender is currently under contract with Le Havre until 2026.

Available for only €8 million

“He is valued at €8 million, and a summer departure wouldn’t be out of the question for this solid defender, who has scored three goals in 16 games this season.

“In addition to Manchester United, several European clubs are also said to be interested: Nottingham Forest, Stuttgart, Augsburg, Sevilla FC, not forgetting Marseille, who are closely monitoring his progress.”

Lisandro Martinez could be set for a positional change, while Leny Yoro, Harry Maguire and Matthijs de Ligt are the only senior options at Ruben Amorim’s disposal.

Securing the low-cost signing of another imposing centre-half might alleviate future problems and INEOS are well aware of the French market due to their ownership of OGC Nice, which makes a deal even more likely.

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