Manchester United have reportedly decided to cede their pursuit of Dayot Upamecano, with Bayern Munich the favourites to sign him now.

According to a report by the reputed David Ornstein on The Athletic, Manchester United have cooled their interest in Dayot Upamecano. The Premier League heavyweights do not deem him to be a priority now, and their decision has left Bayern Munich in pole position to sign the French defender.

Dayot Upamecano has progressed leaps and bounds since joining RB Leipzig from sister club Red Bull Salzburg in January 2017. Over the past four years or so, the 22-year-old has gone on to establish himself as a mainstay at the back for the Bundesliga outfit and is now one of the first names on the team sheet.

Over the course of his time with Leipzig, Upamecano has amassed over 100 appearances at the Red Bull Arena and is now regarded as one of the best defenders on show in the Bundesliga. His growth has been duly noted by some of the biggest clubs in the world and none more so than Manchester United.

No longer a target for Manchester United. (Photo by Matthias Kern/Bongarts/Getty Images)
No longer a target for Manchester United. (Photo by Matthias Kern/Bongarts/Getty Images)

For some time now, Manchester United have been reported to be in the market for a centre-back, with a number of names being thrown up from the rumour mill. The stance has been understanable as well, with Victor Lindelof struggling for consistency over the past year or so.

With Eric Bailly proving to become an undependable figure due to his bout with injuries and Axel Tuanzebe going through a similar predicament, it seems to be imperative for Manchester United to sign a reliable centre-back to pair up with Harry Maguire. That Upamecano is left-footed meant that he could be the ideal foil for the Manchester United captain, making him a viable target.

However, the Red Devils have now pulled the plug on their pursuit of the 22-year-old. This decision appears to be quite perplexing, but the report suggests that Upamecano is no longer a primary target for Manchester United and they have cleared their stance that they will not pursue a move for him in the summer.

This decision has left Bayern Munich as the favourites to sign the French centre-back. The Bundesliga champions do appear to be in need of a centre-back, with David Alaba expected to leave in the summer and Jerome Boateng unlikely to be handed a new deal. So, Upamecano, who has been previously urged to join Bayern, might be the ideal solution for the Bavarians.

As for Manchester United, it looks like they might be setting their sights elsewhere in order to bolster the heart of their defence, with Upamecano no longer their target. What now remains to be seen is if Bayern Munich do launch the offensive for the 22-year-old, now that they are in pole position to sign him.

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