Leicester & Spurs Defenders Headline Reported 9-Man Short List of Man Utd Defensive Targets

Premier League title hopefuls Manchester United have a list of nine possible defensive targets for the summer. The Red Devils, keen on bolstering their squad

Premier League title hopefuls Manchester United have a list of nine possible defensive targets for the summer.

The Red Devils, keen on bolstering their squad after finishing 19 points behind rivals Manchester City last season, have signed Diogo Dalot and Fred so far, yet they're still considered to be some way off when it comes to challenging Pep Guardiola's side for the top flight's top prize and manager Jose Mourinho has made little secret of his desire for further additions.

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According to The Times, Leicester City's Harry Maguire and Tottenham Hotspur's Toby Alderweireld have been named on a nine-man list by the Old Trafford side.

Both defenders are known to be targets for Mourinho's side for a while now. However, time is running out, with the summer transfer window set to close earlier than usual, and United have less than two weeks before their Premier League curtain raiser against Leicester City on August 10.

Maguire, in particular, was rumoured to have indicated a desire to join United this summer but a source close to the defender has rebuffed the claims.

I like Harry Maguire and think he'd be a very good signing, but don't think Manchester United should sell Marcos Rojo in the process. A player who can, if necessary, fill in at left back as well. Chris Smalling or Phil Jones should make way first. Rojo can be useful.

— Liam Canning (@LiamPaulCanning) July 28, 2018

"Maguire and his representatives have made no comment so far on wanting to join Manchester United," the source revealed last week.

Alderweireld, meanwhile, still hasn't renewed his contract at Tottenham and could possibly leave before the close of the window.

The Times are claiming that the side have also listed Bayern Munich’s Jerome Boateng, Real Madrid’s Raphael Varane, Napoli’s Kalidou Koulibaly, AC Milan’s Alessio Romagnoli, Inter's Milan Skriniar, Atletico Madrid’s Jose Gimenez and Freiburg’s Caglar Soyuncu as potential targets.

Maguire, though, is understood to be top priority because of his more modest wages and him being English.