Manchester United are reportedly battling with Arsenal and Liverpool over a deal to sign Nantes star Tylel Tati, as per Caught Offside.
After moving to the French side, the 17-year-old made his first team debut against Paris Saint-Germain in the opening Ligue 1 game of this season. He has started six out of seven league matches thus far, keeping one clean sheet.
Now, Caught Offside claim that the Frenchman’s recent eye-catching displays haven’t gone unnoticed as he has started attracting a lot of attention ahead of the upcoming winter transfer window.
Man Utd are interested in him and have sent scouts to watch him in action closely before making a potential swoop. However, Arsenal and Liverpool are also in this race and have been monitoring his development intensively.
Furthermore, Tottenham Hotspur, Brentford, Brighton, and Aston Villa are plotting a swoop for him as well. Other than the Premier League clubs, Spanish and German clubs are also following his performances closely, with Barcelona, RB Leipzig, and Bayer Leverkusen among those to have registered their interest.
The youngster is valued at around £5m by Transfermarkt and still has three years left in his current contract. Ideally, Nantes would want to keep hold of him, but if a club of Man Utd, Liverpool, and Arsenal’s stature eventually make a move, it would be extremely difficult for Luis Castro’s side to keep hold of him.
Battle
Tati, standing at 6ft 3in tall, is a left-footed centre-back but is also comfortable in the fullback position. Moreover, he can provide cover in the defensive midfield position if needed.
Arsenal have established themselves as one of the Premier League’s title contenders under Mikel Arteta’s guidance, and they have a well-stocked defensive department.
So, they don’t need a new centre-back. Tati needs to play regularly to develop his career, and Arsenal might not be the ideal destination at the moment.
On the other hand, Liverpool need a new left-sided centre-back as a potential long-term replacement for Virgil Van Dijk, who is set to turn 35 next year.
Tati might be a shrewd acquisition for the Reds should they buy him in January or next summer, as he would initially be able to learn under the Dutchman’s tutelage before taking over the first-choice role.
Man Utd also need a new left-sided defender as Luke Shaw and Lisandro Martínez have struggled with fitness problems in recent years, while Ayden Heaven has found it difficult to get regular game time this season. Tati might be a useful acquisition if they purchase him.