United ready to blow rivals out of the water to land World Cup winner, he would transform them into title contenders – report

One look at Manchester United’s backline, and it is pretty clear that INEOS need to bring in defensive reinforcements in the summer. Lisandro Martinez, who was initially thought to have picked up a minor knock that would only sideline him for one game, is now set to miss his fourth consecutive match. The same applies to Matthijs de Ligt, who has now been absent for over three months, despite initial expectations that the Dutchman would return quickly. In addition, Harry Maguire’s contract situation means INEOS must prioritise centre-back as an area in need of a revamp. Centre-back additions required INEOS are likely to look at Premier League options, with Murillo of Nottingham Forest and Micky van de Ven of Tottenham Hotspur among the big names of interest. CaughtOffside have added another Spurs player into the mix — Cristian Romero, who is keen to leave Spurs to play for a Champions League club. The Red Devils are currently third, and look on course to compete in Europe’s premier club competition next season, while the North London side are facing the very real threat of relegation. The World Cup winner is expected to cost around £60 million, and the 20-time English league champions are ready to offer him a “lucrative contract” to win the race for his signature. Cristian Romero keen to leave Spurs His defensive abilities are top-notch, with the Argentina international ranking in the 90th percentile for aerial duels won, and in the 97th percentile for tackles completed (via fotmob). In a dismal season for Spurs, the Argentinean has six goals and four assists to his name, while helping keep 10 clean sheets. This demonstrates his quality, and he would be a huge asset for Manchester United should they be able to land him. . With Casemiro set to depart, the Old Trafford side could do with more leaders in the squad, and Cristian Romero provides just that. The only thing that United need to be wary of when it comes to the 27-year-old is his temper and tendency to pick up cards needlessly. He has nine yellows and two red cards this season, including one against Michael Carrick’s team. Cristian Romero needs to cut this aspect from his game if he is to earn a move to the Theatre of Dreams. Feature image Warren Little via Getty Images The Peoples Person has been one of the world’s leading Man United news sites for over a decade. Follow us on Bluesky: @peoplesperson.bsky.social Ayantan Chowdhury After failing to become a professional footballer, Ayantan switched to the next best thing: writing about the greatest football club in the world. He has extensive sports journalism experience, having worked for over 10 years in the Indian sports media industry, writing for the biggest newspapers and websites. Currently an editor at The Peoples Person. You can follow him on X: @ayantanc_25