Manchester United Transfer News: Latest on Virgil van Dijk, Diego Godin Rumours

Manchester United are considering Southampton's Virgil van Dijk and Atletico Madrid star Diego Godin in a bid to stiffen up their brittle defence.

That’s according to Steve Bates of the Sunday People (h/t the Sunday Mirror), who suggested the Saints star is a “priority” and rated at around £30 million. In the piece, it’s stated that Godin is also on the Red Devils’ radar, with manager Jose Mourinho looking to add aggression and leadership to the base of his side.

Bates noted Mourinho and his staff feel as though the United defence has been “soft” this term. Starting centre-back Chris Smalling is also said to have disappointed the Portuguese boss and been told he must improve.

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The Red Devils look to have landed a defensive colossus in Eric Bailly, who joined from Villarreal in the summer. However, an injury he suffered against Chelsea in October is set to leave him sidelined until December at the earliest, per Martin Domin of the Daily Mirror.

Here’s a look at how Van Dijk, Godin and Bailly compare so far in league matches this term:

	Van Dijk	Godin	Bailly
Apps (Sub)	10	10	9
Goals	0	0	0
Tackles per game	2.1	1.7	2.3
Interceptions per game	2.5	2.5	3.3
Clearances per game	7.1	4.1	4.3
Blocks per game	0.7	0.4	0.3
Passing accuracy	85.1%	82.6%	88.9%

Van Dijk has been extremely impressive for Southampton. Since arriving in the Premier League last summer, he’s gone from strength to strength at the back, showcasing superb composure on the ball and tremendous authority in aerial battles. The 25-year-old is undoubtedly one of the division’s best centre-backs.

His ability to read the game and cut out danger would be a wonderful complement for the forcefulness of Bailly too. Bleacher Report’s Sam Tighe is a big fan of the Netherlands international:

Given his age and familiarity with the Premier League, Van Dijk could be a superb long-term option for the Red Devils. However, Mourinho may feel as though he needs a proven world-class operator in the position to expedite United's progression.

Perhaps that's why there have been links with Godin. Here is a look at the type of quality he would add at Old Trafford:

The Uruguay international is among the best defenders in the world, the linchpin at the base of a remarkably organised Atletico Madrid team. His power, tackling and determination are unrivalled in La Liga.

As these numbers from OptaJose show, as well as being a presence at the back, the 30-year-old is also a major threat in the opposition penalty area:

According to Bates, United are wary of paying the £30 million release clause in Godin’s contract, as he would likely have no resale value given his age. However, provided he could maintain his current standards for three years or so, there’s an argument the Red Devils would be getting value for money.

Kirsty Wigglesworth/Associated Press

Van Dijk would no doubt be a popular addition at Old Trafford. While Smalling and Daley Blind have both done decent jobs at the back, they aren’t the types of defenders upon whom title-winning sides are forged. Van Dijk and Bailly—powerful, dynamic and uncompromising—could be for years to come.

The Dutchman would likely be more attainable than Godin. Southampton have a history of moving on key men for the right price. By contrast, Atletico surely wouldn’t want to cash in on their star defender, and given they’re regularly challenging for the biggest honours in the game, Old Trafford wouldn’t necessarily be a step up for the veteran.