Manchester United are one of the clubs in the race for Bayer Leverkusen defender Edmond Tapsoba, according to a report from 90min.
Which defenders are Man United signing?
As per Football Insider, Man United are set to pull out of the race for Napoli defender Kim Min-jae, amid growing interest from Bayern Munich, meaning Erik ten Hag may have to move on to other targets to bolster his backline.
The Red Devils "remain keen" on AS Monaco defender Axel Disasi, who is reportedly set to be available for around €50m (£40m) this summer, while Juventus' Gleison Bremer is also an option following a scouting mission last season.
With Harry Maguire and Eric Bailly reportedly heading for the exit door, United may look at bringing in multiple new defenders this summer, and they have now emerged as potential suitors for Tapsoba – although there will be fierce competition.
According to 90min, Man United are in the race for the Bayer Leverkusen centre-back, though the likes of Liverpool and Newcastle United have also been informed about his situation.
Tottenham Hotspur are also progressing in talks with the 24-year-old and he would be willing to make the switch to north London, but there is still time for the Red Devils to hijack the move.
Who is Edmond Tapsoba?
The Burkina Faso international plays for Bayer Leverkusen at club level, joining the German side back in January 2020 after impressing the club's former sporting director, Rudi Voller, during his time with Portuguese side Vitoria Guimaraes.
Upon his arrival in the Bundesliga, Voller praised the centre-back for his defensive capabilities, while also adding that he is "dangerous" in front of goal and possesses "really big potential."
Hailed as "solid as a rock" by football scout Jacek Kulig, the 6 foot 4 colossus has certainly fulfilled some of that potential during his time in Germany, establishing himself as a key player for Leverkusen last season by making a total of 33 appearances in the Bundesliga.
The former Guimaraes man averaged 1.1 interceptions per game in the Bundesliga last season, ranking him fourth in the squad. However, there are question marks about whether he would be a real upgrade to United's defence.
Despite his height, the centre-back is quite poor in the air, placing in just the 37th percentile for aerials won per 90 in the past year, when compared to his positional peers, and he does not particularly impress on any defensive metric.
As such, Man United should perhaps avoid signing Tapsoba, as he is not yet at the level required for a club with aims of going far in the Champions League.
