Reports in Germany suggest Victor Lindelof appeared destined to join Eintracht Frankfurt in January before Manchester United boss Erik ten Hag intervened to halt the transfer. The Sweden international centre-back has been an integral part of the Reds' break-in period after Lisandro Martinez was sidelined for the rest of the season with an ankle injury in mid-April.
Lindelof seems underrated at United, where he has struggled to establish himself as one of the club's top-choice centre-backs.
Raphael Varane's arrival in the summer of 2021 saw him drop from the starting line-up before signing Martinez, causing more trouble in his quest for regular minutes. .
But Lindelof remained committed to his career and consistently performed when asked despite his own personal frustrations. That is why he is still considered a high value player for Ten Hag, even if he is not playing as much as he would like.
Interestingly, Bild in Germany is now reporting that Eintracht Frankfurt has reached an agreement to sign the Swede during the January transfer window, news that was not leaked at the time.
However, Ten Hag intervened and decided he didn't want the transfer to take place as Lindelof remained an important member of his team.
The Dutchman's decision was upheld later in the campaign when Varane and Martinez suffered injury problems, meaning Lindelof was suddenly brought on and tasked with rallying United's defence. .
It was a role he showed impressively as he helped United reach the top four and reach the FA Cup final, where they were eventually beaten 2-1 by rivals Manchester City. Lindelof even scored the winning goal in the semi-final against Brighton at Wembley as United searched for their second trophy of the campaign.
Lindelof's performance suggests he still has a future at the club as captain Harry Maguire is on the verge of leaving.
Frankfurt are aware they risk losing their talisman Evan Ndicka on a free transfer at the end of the season, an official call.
That is why Bild mentioned Frankfurt are targeting Lindelof, a target that is no longer an option due to his importance to United.
Atletico Madrid have also kept an eye on the former Benfica player, who could still push for a move if he is offered a regular start elsewhere. United are set to sign another central defender this summer with Napoli's Kim Min-jae at the top of their shortlist.
If the Korean player arrives from Napoli, Lindelof will be dealt another blow when he continues to campaign for a few minutes at Old Trafford.
Lindelof's current contract with Man United is set to expire in the summer of 2024 but the Red Devils are expected to activate the option to extend for a further 12 months due to his performances on the pitch while also protecting his value. .
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