Manchester United could have secured the services of Dayot Upamecano if they were willing to meet his £700,000 asking price back in 2015.

According to The Sun, Manchester United could have bagged one of the bargains of the decade if the club’s hierarchy had paid £200,000 more to secure the services of Dayot Upamecano back in 2015.

The then-Valenciennes defender was at Old Trafford five years ago, in the hopes of securing a dream move to Manchester United. But, his hopes were tarnished when it was revealed that the Red Devils were not willing to meet the player’s £700,000 valuation.

The Red Devils were, in fact, only willing to offer £500,000 and the deal eventually broke down. Two weeks later, the defended ended up joining the project at Red Bull Salzburg, who paid the asking price while also pledging bonuses and extras.

Since then, Upamecano has had a mercurial rise to prominence, making his breakthrough in Austria before earning a £9 million move to RB Leipzig, where he has gone on to become one of the best defenders in the Bundesliga.

Indeed, Upamecano has won the heart of Julian Nagelsmann with his brilliant range of passing and a remarkable ability to provide progressive passes in the build-up play. He also has an imposing 1.86m, making him quite an obstacle for attackers in set-pieces and duels.

Manchester United and Arsenal are running hot on the heels of Upamecano. (Photo by Martin Rose/Bongarts/Getty Images)
Manchester United were running hot on the heels of Upamecano. (Photo by Martin Rose/Bongarts/Getty Images)

The Frenchman has already established himself as one of the senior members of the Leipzig defence, having made 120 competitive appearances for the club. And his performances have not gone unnoticed either, as Manchester United, of all clubs, were notably linked with a move for the 21-year-old during the summer transfer window.

Fortunately for Manchester United fans, however, Upamecano could still end up at Old Trafford given the fact that the club is indeed in need of reinforcements in the central defensive unit.

Harry Maguire has faced a lot of criticism for his performances and leadership while the duo of Victor Lindelof and Eric Bailly have not appeared all too reliable either; so someone like Upamecano could be an ideal solution to Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s defensive woes.

Moreover, a clause in Upamecano’s contract with RB Leipzig sees his release clause decrease €20 million every summer and with his deal coming to an end in 2023, the Frenchman could be available for a cut-price fee next summer.

Manchester United could even secure his services in the upcoming January transfer window, as the Bundesliga outfit might be tempted to finally cash in on him, in fear of his decreasing valuation. That said, the Red Devils are guaranteed to face stiff competition in pursuit of the Bundesliga star as he looks to make the next step in his career.

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