Manchester United have now made an official approach to sign an "unbelievable" Premier League player, who could join alongside Brighton & Hove Albion's Carlos Baleba, according to a report.
Man Utd stepping up Baleba pursuit
Despite shelling out £74m to sign Benjamin Sesko from RB Leipzig last week, Man United still remain active in the transfer market, and they have now set their sights on Brighton's Baleba to bolster their midfield options.
Taking to X, Fabrizio Romano has recently revealed the 21-year-old would be eager to make a move to Old Trafford, meaning contract terms could be a formality, although it could still be tricky to get a deal over the line.
Ruben Amorim's side have focused on bringing in new signings with Premier League experience this summer, having already added Bryan Mbeumo and Matheus Cunha to their ranks, and they are now looking to sign a defender from one of their top-flight rivals.
That is according to a report from Football Transfers, which states Man United have now made an official approach to sign Crystal Palace centre-back Marc Guehi, in order to assess whether he would be willing to make a move to Old Trafford.
United are eager to finalise a deal for the defender, who has now entered the final year of his Palace contract, but there could be competition for his signature, with rivals Liverpool also named as potential suitors.
Given that Guehi is in the last year of his deal, there have been suggestions that a deal could be possible for around £40m, with Steve Parish reluctant to lose him on a free next summer.
Guehi could be "unbelievable" addition to Amorim's backline
It could be difficult for Man United to compete for the Englishman's signature, with reigning Premier League champions Liverpool also in the race, while Chelsea are also well-known to be admirers of their former player.
Crystal Palace's Marc Guehi looks dejected after Newcastle United's Harvey Barnes scores their third goal
It may also not be viewed as a priority to sign a new centre-back after Baleba, given that goalkeeper is arguably a bigger problem area, with Andre Onana subjected to widespread criticism last season.
However, the Palace captain could undoubtedly compete for a starting spot with the likes of Matthijs de Ligt and Lisandro Martinez, and there are signs he could be an upgrade on the former, having outperformed the Dutchman across some key metrics over the past year.
Statistic per 90 Marc Guehi Matthijs de Ligt
Blocks 1.62 1.16
Tackles 1.79 1.23
Clearances 4.8 3.88
Lauded as "unbelievable" by England teammate Anthony Gordon, Guehi is well-placed to be a success at Old Trafford, but signing a new midfielder should remain the priority, given that Casemiro is now arguably past his best.