Manchester United to move for 'untouchable' Juventus defender in summer?

Amidst talks regarding new arrivals to strengthen Manchester United's midfield, club scouts have identified a key centre-back for the upcoming summer, a report said. Pierre Kalulu is nowhere near running out his current Juventus deal, but the club should splash the money required to bring him to the Premier League, the club's hierarchy has been informed.

Pierre Kalulu's camp can expect a call from Manchester United this weekend, which could be the first step in convincing him to leave Italy after half a decade. The 25-year-old centre-back, who is also effective as a right-back, has thrived under different managers in Turin. After an initial loan move from AC Milan, Juve officially signed the Frenchman on a permanent deal last year.

The current deal is valid until 2029, but Juventus have reportedly almost finalised a revised deal for the centre-back, as they want to ensure he stays beyond that date. Manchester United have arrived on the scene at a juncture where the "Old Lady" was hoping to ensure their prized defender would agree to an extended deal with an improved salary, TEAMtalk said in a report.

Another centre-back could look like an extravagance, but United are concerned by the fitness issues that often derail the consistency of Matthijs de Ligt, Lisandro Martínez, and Leny Yoro. Diogo Dalot is viewed as less reliable defensively and will need an upgrade at some point in the upcoming campaigns. Kalulu would be an ideal choice for either role, reports suggest.

Manchester United need only a couple more points to seal a UEFA Champions League spot, while Juve are still being chased by AS Roma and Como for the final qualification spot in Italy. If the "Old Lady" fails to qualify for Europe’s top-tier competition, it could work in favour of the English club, which is on a path to recovery under interim manager Michael Carrick.

While he was signed from Milan for €14 million (£12.1 million), Kalulu's current market value is estimated to be around £24–25 million by TransferMarkt. Given Juve's absolute reluctance to let him leave, Manchester United should be prepared to shell out significantly more than this sum.