Manchester United are thought to be interested in a move for a young Premier League defender – recently, the Red Devils have been looking at Brentford starboy Michael Kayode.
Despite this, Michael Carrick’s men aren’t the only club in the race. According to a report from TEAMtalk, Manchester City are also among those taking a close look at the 21-year-old.
On top of this, Arsenal, Newcastle United and Tottenham Hotspur are believed to be circling, though they’re less likely to make a move than the two Manchester outfits.
Arsenal will only make a move for him if Ben White leaves the club – likewise, Newcastle will only put forth an offer if they lose Tino Livramento. Tottenham, meanwhile, will need to avoid relegation before they can think about tabling offers for top players.
Kayode joined Brentford in January of 2025 from Fiorentina, signing a deal with the bees until 2030. He has represented Italy at youth level, but has yet to make his senior debut on the international stage.
How would Michael Kayode improve Manchester United?
Despite Manchester United’s recent good form, they still have plenty of issues within the squad. One of their weaker positions is right-back – neither Diogo Dalot or Noussair Mazraoui have been enormously convincing this season.
United lack a quality right-back in their U21 team, too. Therefore, while Kayode’s arrival isn’t a necessity, it’d make sense if the Red Devils want to focus on the future. At 21, he’s much younger than their existing right-back options.
This aside, Dalot’s recent performances have improved drastically since the departure of Ruben Amorim. He has benefitted greatly from Carrick’s ‘back to basics’ routine – could this ease the urge to sign a new right-back?
What would he bring to Manchester City?
While City’s squad is mostly superior to United’s, they would might actually benefit more from the acquisition of Kayode. Matheus Nunes has done a fine job as an auxillary full-back this season, but he lacks the pace and explosivity of a true wing-back.
Meanwhile, Pep Guardiola appears to have gone cold on Rico Lewis. Despite featuring frequently in the 2024/25 season, Lewis has made just 10 Premier League appearances during the current campaign.
With this being said, losing Nunes as an option on the right seems like a flawed proposition. He may be slower than most full-backs, but with six assists from right-back this season, it’s hard to argue with the results.
Who needs him the most?
While Manchester City have their own issues at right-back, they can at least boast a mix of experience and youth – United’s right-backs, on the other hand, are both over the age of 25.
Mazraoui and Dalot are hardly senior citizens, but it’s nice to have a young up-and-comer waiting in the wings. Just because Lewis’ playing time in 2025/26 has been limited, this doesn’t mean that he won’t be a key member of City’s squad in the future.
Either way, Kayode would be a useful addition to either team. He’s very quick, defensively responsible and is a constant threat going forwards – more so than his goal contributions tally might suggest.