Manchester United and Liverpool are reportedly tracking Victor Wanyama, who seems to have trickled down the pecking order at Tottenham.
According to Daily Mail, Victor Wanyama is among a host of names that are on Manchester United’s shortlist as they aim to bring in two midfielders in the summer transfer window. The report also adds that Liverpool are monitoring the Tottenham midfielder as well and could rival their long-standing rivals for the Kenyan.
Victor Wanyama was brought in at Tottenham by his former Southampton boss Mauricio Pochettino to shore up the midfield and add some steel and presence in the area. While he had a good start to his life at the club, the Kenyan international seems to have gone down the pecking order in recent times.
The 2017-18 season has seen him play just 272 minutes of Premier League football, despite 10 league appearances to his name, meaning that most of his minutes have come from the bench. One of the main factors of Wanyama’s decline in the pecking order is the hyaline cartilage injury he suffered, which has seen the midfielder be restricted to appearances from the bench after recovering from the injury.
With Wanyama not an indispensable asset for Tottenham, Liverpool and Manchester United are looking to attempt to add the player to their respective squads when the transfer window reopens.
At Liverpool, the midfield is an area where reinforcements might be necessary. Despite the imminent arrival of Naby Keita in the summer, Jurgen Klopp needs a number 6, a midfield enforcer, to give shape to his squad, which is where Wanyama could come in handy, with his physical presence.
Manchester United on the other hand, are laying down the succession plan for Michael Carrick and in doing so, are also looking to potentially replace Marouane Fellaini, who looks set to depart Old Trafford in the summer. Victor Wanyama will be a potent addition and alongside Matic, could become the bedrock in a midfield three, with Pogba left unlocked to wander up the pitch.
While Tottenham chairman Daniel Levy might be somewhat of an obstacle in their pursuit of Wanyama, the report does entail that a fee of around £40 million could be enough to land 26-year-old, fair value considering the the condition of the transfer market and Liverpool and Manchester United’s need to add to their midfield options.
Liverpool already have several former Southampton players, which could tip the balance in their favour. But, Manchester United’s financial prowess could alleviate that advantage. This looks like a deal that could go either way but one that should happen, given the fact that Tottenham are themselves looking for further additions to their midfield.
