Manchester United face competition from Arsenal and Aston Villa for Zeno Debast
Manchester United have been linked with a move for Belgian centre-back Zeno Debast, but the Premier League heavyweights are expected to face competition from English top-tier rivals Arsenal and Aston Villa for the Sporting Lisbon defender next summer. (h/t Caught Offside)
Manchester Reds have been planning a defensive reshuffle in 2026. If you look behind the scenes at Carrington, Harry Maguire’s long-term future at M16 is uncertain, complemented by how there are growing concerns surrounding Lisandro Martinez given his inconsistencies with injuries.
United want Debast but face PL competition
Manchester United face competition from Arsenal and Aston Villa for Zeno Debast.
Should Manchester United be looking to prioritise a move for Debast in 2026?
And United are looking to bring one of the standout young defenders to ensure that they have a centre back who can play at the heart of defence for at least another decade. This is where Debast comes into the picture. But United are apparently not alone…
The Gunners, alongside Aston Villa, are said to be keeping close tabs on the 21-year-old Belgian who has a hefty €80m release clause in his contract with Sporting CP. Ruben Amorim & Co. are said to be open to offering somewhere around €40m in a bid to pry his signatures away from the Portuguese giants. But they are highly unlikely to accept offers with that price point for the former Anderlecht defender.
Debast is a profile that Amorim would like in his roster
Debast is more of a modern centre-back; he likes to step into midfield and has that composure on the ball, complemented by his intelligent positioning, which has been gaining him a lot of praise from fans as well as pundits. And this is exactly what puts him on United’s radar.
The abilities that he possesses make him ideal to play in the high-pressing system that Ruben Amorim has implemented at all, Trafford. You can draw drawn natural comparisons to how Pep used John Stones during his peak at City to understand how he (and his playing style) can possibly fit in at Old Trafford.
Author Opinion
While Manchester United are keen to bring in a new centre-back, it remains to be seen if the chiefs at Carrington are willing to sanction a move for €80m for Debast. Despite interest from Villa and Arsenal, it does look like Sporting holds all the cards at the moment (unless, of course, one of the suitors comes in with money that meets the release clause).
Do you think United shall move for Debast? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below.