Will Lautaro Rivero choose Manchester United for Lisandro Martinez over Cristian Romero's Spurs?

River Plate's left-footed centre-back, Lautaro Rivero, is very much part of Manchester United's plans for the summer, despite the Argentine being tracked by Manchester City, Tottenham Hotspur, Atlético Madrid, and Strasbourg. The 22-year-old defender has a €100 million (£87m / $119m) release clause in his current contract, which runs until 2028. INEOS is willing to spend big to get their man but is hopeful that a discounted price can be agreed upon with the South American powerhouse, a report said.

Manchester United consider Rivero the ideal target to replace the injury-ravaged Luke Shaw, who could find suitors in the Middle East. Earlier, it was claimed that Rivero's arrival could lead to the exit of Lisandro Martínez, but new reports claim that the two Argentines could well share the locker room.

Rivero started his youth career as a left wing-back, but his height (1.85 m) and physical presence resulted in his evolution into a centre-back. In 2021, he made his debut with River’s reserve team and managed to sign his first professional deal with the club in 2024. He is yet to play outside South America and has managed 30 senior caps for Club Atlético Central Córdoba and 18 for River Plate.

The 2003-born player, who is hopeful of making the Argentina squad for the upcoming FIFA World Cup in the USA, Mexico, and Canada, is a speeding bullet known for covering ground quickly. He quickly gets into the right areas thanks to impressive acceleration and has a knack for remaining balanced when making contact with opponents. Rivero is known for stopping through-balls and carrying the ball forward if needed.

Manchester United are likely to face competition, particularly from Spurs, as the London side's defence is currently led by Cristian Romero. The chance to get comfortable with an obvious first-choice in the international set-up could lure the youngster, who is hell-bent on playing in the World Cup. Licha Martínez can also try the same for United, unless he is sold to raise funds for the broader project of focusing on youngsters aged well below 25 years.