Manchester United have ‘had some conversations’ about signing Ajax defender Jurrien Timber in addition to their pursuit of Barcelona midfielder Frenkie de Jong, according to transfer guru Fabrizio Romano.
The Dutchman is widely reported to be Erik ten Hag’s top target this summer, but he isn’t the only name on the Red Devils’ radar. The 21-year-old had a breakout season under ten Hag this season and has also established himself as a regular in the national team setup under Louis van Gaal.
However, doubts about a move to Old Trafford may have been raised by the Dutchman’s national team manager – and former United manager – van Gaal, who has reminded the youngster that the World Cup in Qatar is now less than six months away.
With Raphael Varane, Victor Lindelof, Harry Maguire, and Eric Bailly in the Red Devils’ backline, it’s unclear how many starts Timber would get if he moved to the Theatre of Dreams.
However, Romano, speaking exclusively to GiveMeSport has confirmed the development, stating:
“These are possibilities that Manchester United are exploring. So for example, for Jurrien Timber they have had some conversations but there is still no official bid to Ajax.”
Incoming boss ten Hag is considered to be a huge fan of the defender knowing that he can rely because he was a key member of the squad that won consecutive Eredivisie titles under his leadership, and his versatility may also be appealing.
The 21-year-old can not only play at centre-back, but also at right-back, which could be a key factor in United’s interest. The club already have Diogo Dalot and Aaron Wan–Bissaka who can play at full-back, but the latter is being heavily linked with a loan return to Crystal Palace, which suggests he may be surplus to requirements – at least for the time being.
However, as per reports by Mirror, the player is reluctant to move to the Red Devils this summer and wants to stay at Ajax until the World Cup. Thus, they are also looking to land Villarreal’s Pau Torres as an alternative to the Dutchman. However, United may have to put in more money than the Ajax man as the Spanish defender’s contract includes a 50 million pounds release clause.
