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Leicester City defender Ben Nelson has “drawn” the attention of Man Utd, according to reports.
The 6ft 5 centre-back was recently relegated with the Foxes to the third tier of English football.
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However, the Daily Mail claim that Nelson is seen as a bright young prospect who could add depth to United’s first-team squad.
The 22-year-old made 27 appearances for Leicester last season, but a hamstring injury meant he missed the club’s last five games.
Nelson has attracted interest from other Premier League teams
The centre-half has reportedly been scouted by both Chelsea and Manchester City, and it seems likely that the former’s interest was at the behest of their former manager Enzo Maresca.
Nelson was given his senior debut by the Italian when he guided Leicester to promotion from the Championship during the 2023/24 campaign.
He came as an 82nd-minute substitute for James Justin during a 2-0 win against Tranmere Rovers in the 2nd Round of the Carabao Cup in August 2023.
The following season, Nelson was loaned out to Oxford United before returning to the King Power Stadium last summer.
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Man Utd need more defensive cover
Manager Michael Carrick does have five senior centre-backs at his disposal, including Harry Maguire, Matthijs de Ligt, Lisandro Martinez, Leny Yoro and Ayden Heaven.
However, there are still big concerns about the fitness of de Ligt, in particular. The Dutchman has not played since November due to a back problem, and he has now undergone surgery.
As the moment, it doesn’t look like he will be ready to play the first game of the 2026/27 season, so adding another young defender as cover would make sense.
Considering Leicester’s current position, you would expect Nelson to jump at the opportunity to make the leap to the Premier League.
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