European juggernauts Real Madrid are set to make a late push for a Manchester United star ahead of the winter transfer window slamming shut.
Man Utd state of play ahead of deadline day
Having grown accustomed to stuttering form in Ruben Amorim's 14-month tenure at the club, the Red Devils appear a side reborn following the appointment of Michael Carrick as interim boss until the season's end.
Michael-Carrick
In back-to-back wins against second-placed Manchester City and first-placed Arsenal, Man United have been a far cry from the team they were just weeks earlier.
No doubt due, in large part, to the departure of Amorim, Man United are yet to spend any money this winter. Combined with heavy expenditure in the summer, it would seem that the Red Devils are keen to withhold their funds to spend once a permanent manager is decided and settled.
This, however, has not stopped Man United being linked with a number of players, whilst veteran midfielder Casemiro has announced that he will leave Old Trafford at the season's end.
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Regardless of any potential arrivals, a current Man United player has now been linked with what would be a significant departure just days before the transfer window shuts.
Real Madrid monitoring Man United star
According to reports in Spain, Man United defender Diogo Dalot is a player that Real Madrid are seriously considering making a bid for.
The position of right-back has been a particular issue for Real in recent times. The long-serving Dani Carvajal, who injured his ACL in 2024, underwent knee surgery in late 2025, whilst summer arrival Trent Alexander-Arnold has struggled to establish himself as a consistent starter in Madrid thus far.
Diogo Dalot for Man United
Federico Valverde can be deployed as a right-back, but is naturally a midfielder. In searching for depth, signing a right-back is now of 'immediate' priority for Real, with Dalot being a player that has attracted their attention for a late move.
The defender has, since joining Man United from Porto in 2018, made over 250 appearances for the club in all competitions.
Dalot's former boss Amorim, speaking in late 2025, had high praise for the defender, saying, as per United in Focus: “I think when you see a very good game of Diogo, he can show that he has the quality and sometimes it drops a little bit, but if you look at our team, everyone is a little bit like that.
“He’s really powerful. He’s good on set-pieces, and you have to understand that in this league, [that] is really important.”
The Portugal international is a vastly experienced player and despite that, is still just 26 years old. Such criteria are what has captured Real's interest in Dalot, who has started both of Carrick's games at the helm thus far. It would appear that, should a move materialise ahead of the 2nd February deadline, Dalot and those close to him would not be opposed to the transfer.
Numerous clubs in Europe, including Bavarian giants Bayern Munich, are monitoring Dalot, though Real Madrid could prove too alluring to ignore as they have done so many times in the past. The Portuguese could feasibly be part of the club's defence for years to come were a deal to be agreed and reportedly, should a compelling offer be made, then the Red Devils may be tempted by it.