Barcelona set to make offer for Manchester United defender

While Manchester United fans were pondering upon plausible outgoings in the last summer transfer window, the name of Diogo Dalot surely must have come up. Signed from Porto back in the summer of 2018 for £19 million, the adventurous full-back was offered only 65 minutes of Premier League football last campaign.

Having played just 577 minutes of football, spread over 11 appearances, across all competitions, Dalot was deemed to be a surplus to Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s requirements. Therefore, a move away from Old Trafford, at least temporarily, was on the cards.

Everton made an inquiry about Dalot’s availability in the summer. But with United perceiving them as a direct competitor for the Champions League spot at the start of the season, Solskjaer was against that move.

Then arrived the offer from AC Milan, which ultimately was accepted. PSG were amongst Dalot’s admirers, but they intended to complete a permanent deal for the ambitious prospect.

Dalot joined the Italian giants on a season-long loan. However, as confirmed by Fabrizio Romano, the switch was only a dry loan move, with no option of a permanent buy included in the contract. Hence, the aspiring Portuguese full-back will return to the red part of Manchester next June when his one-year stay at AC Milan is over.

FC Barcelona set to make an offer to Manchester United?

According to a report from El Mundo Deportivo (via Calciomercato), FC Barcelona are willing to offer €11 million for the 21-year-old full-back, who can play both as a right-back as well as a left-back. Making 14 appearances for AC Milan since joining them, Dalot has received some plaudits for his performances although he is not yet a first-team regular for them.

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And there is a belief that AC Milan could stir up their affection for Dalot should United wish to sell him in the next summer.

Talking about FC Barcelona, the Catalan giants sold their first-choice right-back option, Nelson Semedo, for a record transfer fee last summer to Wolverhampton Wanderers. They went on to sign Sergino Dest from Ajax to replace the Portuguese, but the USA international needs some competition.

With Sergi Roberto now injured, FC Barcelona are considering landing another full-back sooner rather than later. And Dalot’s name has emerged as a potential target in the process.

Manchester United recently let Timothy Fosu-Mensah – another right-back option – leave to join Bayer Leverkusen. If Dalot ‘sfuture lies outside the ‘Theatre of Dreams’, it should be a matter of time before the Red Devils insist upon signing a back-up for their own good.