Manchester United Transfer News: Red Devils Must Avoid Mapou Yanga-Mbiwa Battle

Manchester United allowed the second-fewest goals in Premier League play this season and have plenty of depth along the back line, including players who will return from injury.

Due to those factors, the Red Devils should avoid a multi-team battle for defender Mapou Yanga-Mbiwa.

At least two other squads from England's top division are interested in the French star, according to Talk Sport. That follows a report from the Daily Mail that Yanga-Mbiwa was eyeing a move to an EPL contender this summer.

Any time multiple teams get into a bidding war for a player, the price doesn't just rise a little bit, it tends to skyrocket out of control. The player's club, in this case Montpellier of Ligue 1, uses the other teams as leverage to drive up the price.

While there's certainly no problem with that tactic, it significantly raises Yanga-Mbiwa's bust potential. The more Manchester United would have to pay to get him, the higher the expectations would be when he makes his debut.

That's a lot of pressure to put on the shoulders of a 23-year-old defender, especially when you consider he would also be adapting to a new league while trying to fit in along the Red Devils' back line.

Yanga-Mbiwa has a bright future, there's no doubt about that. His experience with the French national team during the buildup to Euro 2012 will help him continue his development.

But as his transfer fee raises, so does the risk.

And when you look at United's roster, it's a risk they don't need to take. The team has no immediate need for another defender. The Red Devils should be looking for some attacking midfielders to give Wayne Rooney more support in the attacking third.

Every dollar the team would have to spend to land Yanga-Mbiwa is one less they have to attract other high-profile names on the market who could boost the attack.

Plenty of players will be linked to the Red Devils between now and the end of August. It's a blessing because the Red Devils have enough clout to fill needs with elite talent, but also a curse because they have to be selective when deciding which players to chase.

When it comes to Yanga-Mbiwa, Sir Alex Ferguson is better off passing. Only if he ends up generating less interest than reported and is still available much later in the window when United has already added a few pieces would he be worth a look.

As for now, Ferguson has bigger fish to fry during the transfer window.