RB Leipzig defender Castello Lukeba is attracting interest from Manchester United once again.
The French youth international, 20, was heavily linked with a move to Old Trafford last season while playing for Lyon. However, he left Lyon in August for RB Leipzig in a €30m deal. And Castello Lukeba has hit the ground running at RB Leipzig, racking up 16 appearances thus far. His solid performances in the Bundesliga resulted in a maiden call-up to the senior French team in October’s international break.
The promising defender’s performances have not gone unnoticed, with the Premier League giants still keen on his signature despite missing out on his signature in August. Manchester United have reportedly posted scouts in Germany this season to follow Lukeba’s development in RB Leipzig colours.
Man United’s growing issues at the back
One of the main reasons behind Man United’s poor start to the season has been due to the ever-rising injury list that have affected Erik ten Hag’s plans. The defence has suffered the most with Erik ten Hag rarely getting the opportunity of picking his first-choice back four. This has resulted in his team conceding 16 goals in 12 Premier League games while conceding a mammoth 11 times in four Champions League matches.
In defence, the Red Devils have severely missed Lisandro Martinez, Luke Shaw, Tyrell Malacia and Aaron Wan-Bissaka. Jonny Evans, who has done well since returning to the club, is sidelined for the next few weeks with a thigh problem. Add to this the regression and poor fitness record of Raphael Varane since arriving at Old Trafford in 2021 and it is clear to see that the Red Devils are desperate for defensive reinforcements.
Man United scouts watching Castello Lukeba ‘again and again’
With Ten Hag having to deal with a number of problems in defence, the club must invest in a new centre-back during the January transfer window. Several central defenders, including Castello Lukeba, have thus emerged on United’s radar. The United scouts have recently watched Lukeba ‘again and again’ ahead of a potential swoop.
Lukeba is currently enjoying a strong season with RB Leipzig who are currently fourth in the Bundesliga standings. It’s understood that Marco Rose’s side, who are also competing in the Champions League, would be extremely reluctant to lose the 20-year-old at this stage of their project.
The Frenchman’s deal lasts until 2028, meaning Leipzig are in no real hurry to sell him and would prefer to continue focusing on his development. Thus, a move away from the Red Bull Arena after arriving from Lyon in the summer appears very unlikely, unless United come up with an eye-catching offer for Lukeba in January.
I am Rohan Sengupta from one of the busiest cities in India, Mumbai. A Journalism graduate with a keen interest in sports, football is something I simply cannot live without and writing, discussing and analyzing the game is what I do 24*7.
