<h3 style="text-align: justify"><strong>French League side Lyon are set to sign Manchester United's Brazilian rightback Rafael for A?2.5m as per reports in <a href="http://www.theguardian.com/football/2015/aug/03/rafael-da-silva-lyon-manchester-united">the Guardian</a>.</strong></h3> <h3 style="text-align: justify"></h3> <p style="text-align: justify">The right back position was subject of much debate among the Manchester United fans before the club secured the services of Matteo Darmian from Torino.</p> <p style="text-align: justify">The club had been linked with the likes of Dani Alves and Liverpool FC defender Nathaniel Clyne before the signing of the Italian due to <a href="http://www.espnfc.com/club/manchester-united/360/blog/post/2384133/antonio-valencia-discipline-sees-rafael-marginalised-at-man-utd">van Gaal's unhappiness with Rafael</a>.</p> <p style="text-align: justify">It was expected that Rafael would leave the club after he was omitted from the Manchester United pre-season tour of the US.</p> <p style="text-align: justify"><strong>Lyon president tweets confirmation of move</strong></p> <p style="text-align: justify">Lyon president Jean-Michel Aulas announced on social networking website Twitter on Monday that the 25-year-old Manchester United defender was in the French city of Lyon before a potential transfer to the Ligue 1 runners-up.</p> <p style="text-align: justify"><a class=" u-underline" title="" href="https://twitter.com/JM_Aulas/status/628124525264306176">Aulas tweeted</a>: a Rafael has arrived from Manchester, we are waiting for an agreement with MU about his transfer. He has the Brazilian good humour!a </p> <p style="text-align: justify">As per the Guardian, Lyon will pay up to A?2.5m for the signature of the Brazil right back.</p> <h3 style="text-align: justify">Defense a worry</h3> . <p style="text-align: justify">The sale of Rafael will have no bearing on Manchester United's defense, as the club has already signed Darmian. However, the defense still remains a big worry for van Gaal and apparently, securing a central defender is on top of the cluba s agenda, going by Manchester United's rumored interest in Sergio Ramos and Nicolas Otamendi.</p> <p style="text-align: justify">However, Mancheter United's pursuit of Sergio Ramos seems to have ended after the player reportedly agreed to sign a new deal and stay at the club, following a meeting with Florentino Perez who <a href="http://www.thehardtackle.com/2015/blow-for-manchester-united-as-real-madrid-tell-sergio-ramos-he-is-not-for-sale-under-any-circumstance/" target="_blank">made it clear to him that he is not for sale under any circumstance</a> .</p> <p style="text-align: justify">Following the reports of Ramos' stay, one wonders if Manchester United will let David De Gea go, who, they are adamant, will not leave the club unless they get Ramos.</p> <p style="text-align: justify">After De Gea's poor showing in the recent pre-season tie agianst PSG, Manchester United manager Louis van Gaal was <a href="http://www.thehardtackle.com/2015/maybe-de-gea-wants-to-go-manchester-united-manager-louis-van-gaal/" target="_blank">quoted </a>saying that De Geaa s performance may have been down to the goalkeeper being distracted. In which case, Manchester United may allow De Gea to leave, taking a pragmatic view of the situation.</p> <p style="text-align: justify">However, that would leave the club not only short of a quality central defender, but also a goalkeeper. In either case, with de Gea looking distracted over his future, the club is in dire straits as far as the defense goes.</p>