“I wonder why no club has signed him. He is a great defender and he is a world class just like Sergio Ramos in Spain”-After Playing against Man City, Man United coach confirms that they will need another defender to avoid injury crisis during the season. Man Utd ‘make contact’ with free agent in surprise move after Luke Shaw and Leny Yoro injury setbacks.
Manchester United is reportedly addressing its defensive challenges by engaging with a free agent after key players Luke Shaw and Leny Yoro suffered injuries.
Recently, it was confirmed that Leny Yoro, who was signed this summer, had surgery for a fractured metatarsal in his left foot, sustained during a pre-season match against Arsenal. The 18-year-old center-back, who joined from Lille, is expected to be out for about three months.
Manager Erik ten Hag has been dealing with a series of injuries within his squad. Striker Rasmus Hojlund is also sidelined after picking up an injury in pre-season, which will keep him out for several weeks. As United prepares for the Community Shield match against Manchester City, ten Hag mentioned that several players could miss the crucial Wembley fixture.
“Harry Maguire missed the Liverpool game as a precaution but remains doubtful for Saturday,” ten Hag stated. “We’ll need to assess his fitness to decide if he can play.”
Ten Hag also highlighted concerns about Victor Lindelof, Aaron Wan-Bissaka, and Luke Shaw’s availability for the upcoming match, stating, “We’ll evaluate their conditions tomorrow [Friday].”
Although ten Hag didn’t give a specific update on Shaw, recent reports suggest that Manchester United may be looking to strengthen their defense. Máximo de la Cruz Ramírez reported that the club has begun talks with Mario Hermoso, a former Atletico Madrid defender who is currently a free agent.
Hermoso, a 29-year-old Spanish center-back who also played as a left-back under Diego Simeone, is reportedly seeking an annual salary of €6 million (£5.1 million) and a three-year contract. Ramírez noted that “negotiations are in the early stages, and the outcome remains uncertain.”
During his five years at Atletico Madrid, Hermoso made 174 appearances and was part of the team that won the La Liga title in the 2020/21 season, with Atletico conceding just 25 league goals that year. Hermoso played in 31 of those matches.
Since his contract with Atletico ended in June, Hermoso’s representatives have reportedly offered his services to other Premier League clubs, including Aston Villa and West Ham, according to AreaNapoli.
With Manchester United urgently needing defensive reinforcements due to the current injury crisis, the club is considering signing Hermoso. His experience and versatility could be crucial during this difficult time, though with interest from other Premier League teams, United may need to move quickly to secure his signing.
