Manchester United Transfer News: Latest Leonardo Bonucci, Ezequiel Garay Rumours

Manchester United manager Jose Mourinho will seek to sign a central defender after a deal for Juventus midfielder Paul Pogba is completed, with his team-mate Leonardo Bonucci and Zenit Saint Petersburg’s Ezequiel Garay said to be on the club's radar.

That’s according to Duncan Castles, writing for the Sunday Times, who suggested Southampton's Jose Fonte is also on Mourinho’s shortlist of experienced centre-backs.

“Three weeks of pre-season training has increased the new United manager’s concerns about a back four whose most experienced member is 26-year-old Chris Smalling,” Castles said. “[Mourinho] is looking to add a seasoned central defender capable of leading a reshaped defence and is also understood to be considering a new right-back.”

Mark Schiefelbein/Associated Press

Castles also reported (h/t Aaron Flanagan of the Sunday Mirror) that United would be willing to part with £40 million to get a world-class operator in in defence.

The report suggested Pogba is set to sign for the club in a world-record deal in a transfer that’ll excite supporters. But despite landing Eric Bailly from Villarreal earlier in the window, there are lingering concerns about whether the United's central defenders are good enough to underpin a title-winning team.

Smalling and Daley Blind formed a decent partnership at the base of the team under former boss Louis van Gaal in 2015/16. However, Mourinho’s teams have always had a physical presence at the back, something the likes of Bonucci, Garay and Fonte could offer.

The former in particular would be a tremendous acquisition, having cemented his status as one of the best defenders in the game during his time at Juve.

Thanassis Stavrakis/Associated Press

Sports journalist Liam Canning believes the Italy international, also linked with City by Flanagan, would be an ideal acquisition for the Red Devils:

Of the three players mentioned, Bonucci appears the least likely to make the switch this summer, especially if Juventus were to lose Pogba to the Red Devils, as is expected. Garay and Fonte may not be as classy in possession as the Italian, but they could each offer something to a United defence that’s short on leaders.

Garay has played at the highest level for a long time, shining with Zenit and impressing for the Russian outfit in the UEFA Champions League. Here is a look at what he offers on the pitch:

The Argentina international is a calm distributor, reads the game well and has plenty of experience. What he doesn’t possess is Premier League experience, and with that in mind, Mourinho may prefer a player such as Fonte.

The 32-year-old may not be as glamorous a name, but he’d be available for a cheaper sum and has proved himself as a very handy defender in English football’s top flight. The Portuguese is vocal and an enforcer at Southampton, traits lacking among Mourinho’s defensive options.

Greg Johnson of Squawka Football championed the attributes of the Southampton man previously:

Smalling made major improvements last season, and you anticipate he’d continue to blossom under the astute defensive guidance of Mourinho. The England man is the type of centre-back who would be even better with a physical and committed presence next to him, though.

The 22-year-old Bailly has all the tools to be that kind of defender, although is still a little capricious in some areas of his game. Bonucci looks out of reach for any club, but if Mourinho could lure either Garay or Fonte to Old Trafford, you suspect he’d feel much better about challenging for Premier League glory during his debut campaign at Old Trafford.