Manchester United and Tottenham Hotspur are reportedly interested in signing Paris Saint-Germain right-back Thomas Meunier who is a free agent this summer. The reports state that the Belgian, 28, who has had a contract offer on the table at PSG since the autumn, seemingly not interested in signing it, therefore leaving the Paris club for free.
It is stated that Jose Mourinho, United’s former manager, is likely to pip his former club to the right-back, who is supposedly wanted by Ole Gunnar Solskjaer. However, this all seems a bit pointless being that United will seek to sell Diogo Dalot this summer, who is behind Aaron Wan-Bissaka in the right-back position.
Personally, I feel that Meunier was a target for United when Mourinho was the manager and the media have still continued suggesting that the player is a target, when in actual fact, with Wan-Bissaka’s performances this season, and the fact that Brandon Williams can play on either flank, not to mention the likes of Ethan Laird coming through the U23s.
It is reported that Meunier would like to stay at PSG after his contract aspired at the end of next month, but the fact he has not signed a new contract suggests either that he expects to leave the club and is being nice or that he’s not happy with the contract offer and would like to run the clock down so he can get more of what he wants to stay.
If this happens, despite the report suggesting that Spurs are ahead of United, you can bet your bottom dollar that it will be United the misses out on a player that they do not really need at this moment in time. I mean, Axel Tuanzebe has played as a right-back for some of his career so far with Tim Fosu-Mensah also playing in that position.
The 28-year-old would not fall into Solskjaer’s youth category, which makes this a rumour that carries little weight and I doubt the former striker would change his plans to sign a free agent like Meunier, especially with the youth available to use in this position, which would be a bit part role being that Wan-Bissaka has earned his stripes this season.
This season, before the coronavirus pandemic suspended world football, then France cancelled all sporting events until September, which in turn ended Ligue 1 and Ligue 2 with PSG as the champions once again, Meunier has played a total of 27 times for PSG, scoring one goal and assisting two more. He may well have played his last game for PSG.
The club, however, is still in the UEFA Champions League after beating Borussia Dortmund 3-2 on aggregate in the round of 16 of the competition and with UEFA led competitions set to happen later in the summer, rumoured to be in August. Meunier, if that contract offer is not accepted, could have left he club before then, signing for another.
Still, that being said, it seems to be something that United will have little involvement in as I cannot see why Solskjaer would be interested in another right-back, considering the options at the club at this moment in time. Unless Wan-Bissaka is injured, he will play. United have many rotation options to get them through, so this is a non story for me.
