Manchester United have made a left-back one of their top priorities for this summer alongside midfield, and a new name has emerged on their shortlist.
The Red Devils are targeting a complete overhaul of their midfield this summer amid strong interest in Elliot Anderson and Sandro Tonali, but with Luke Shaw entering the final year of his contract at Old Trafford, the left side of the defence has also emerged as a key area to strengthen.
The club are known to be looking at several targets, but a new name has now been put at the top of the list of targets, with the recruitment staff having watched him in excess of ten times.
Man Utd Eyeing Samuel Dahl
Samuel Dahl
According to Record, via Sport Witness, Man Utd are considering making an offer for Benfica star Samuel Dahl after watching his performances under former boss Jose Mourinho this season.
Dahl, who has been described as a 'top player' and 'incredible' by Mourinho, has become the first-choice left-back in Lisbon following the sale of Alvaro Carreras to Real Madrid last summer, and the Swede has greatly impressed the Man Utd scouts whenever they have watched him.
United are understood to rate the 23-year-old's physical robustness and his tactical adaptability, having played in multiple systems in his young career already.
It's currently unclear how much the club would be willing to pay to seal his arrival, or how much Benfica would demand to allow him to leave just one year after completing a deal for him to join permanently following an initially successful loan spell.
Man Utd Need Left-Back Reinforcements
Manchester United's Luke Shaw dribbling.
Premier League - Manchester United v AFC Bournemouth - Old Trafford, Manchester, Britain - December 15, 2025 Manchester United's Luke Shaw in action REUTERS/Phil Noble
While Dahl is unlikely to have too much of an issue when it comes to adapting to the Premier League, throwing him straight in as first-choice may be a big step up that he isn't ready for.
With Shaw still having a year remaining on his deal, it could be the perfect deal for him to come in and play understudy for a year while he adapts to life in a new country and league, before taking over 12 months later as the first-choice.
GIVEMESPORT asked ChatGPT to break down Dahl's strengths and weaknesses, and this was its response:
Strengths: Explosive pace, aggressive overlapping runs, strong ball-carrying, high defensive work rate, good recovery speed.
Weaknesses: Final-third decision-making inconsistent, crossing can lack precision, positional awareness still developing, can be caught high upfield, limited aerial presence.
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