Manchester United monitoring Genoa defender Koni De Winter

Manchester United keeping tabs on the progress of Genoa defender Koni De Winter ahead of the summer transfer window.

Ambitious plans have been confirmed for the Red Devils to build a brand new 100,000-seater stadium as minority owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe continues making his mark behind the scenes, but there also remains determination to ensure that head coach Ruben Amorim has a squad capable of challenging for the Premier League title and other silverware in the coming seasons.

The English giants are set to lose both Victor Lindelof and Jonny Evans as free agents at the end of the season. Lisandro Martinez sustained an ACL injury against Crystal Palace in January and is a long-term casualty, while youngster Ayden Heaven is also expected to be sidelined for some time now after suffering a serious injury during the recent win over Leicester City.

A new centre-back appears to be one of Ruben Amorim’s priorities at Old Trafford in the summer, and INEOS have set their sights on a player plying his trade in Serie A. Manchester United are reportedly monitoring Genoa’s Koni De Winter but could face competition from Premier League rivals Tottenham Hotspur for his signature.

De Winter, 22, has grown in stature at Genoa since moving from Juventus in 2023—initially on loan. His loan deal became permanent last summer, and the Belgian defender, who missed two months of the current campaign with a hamstring injury, has done enough to catch the eye of several European clubs.

Koni De Winter emerges as a target for Man United

Man United have struggled to stem the flow of goals and keep clean sheets this season. They lie 13th in the table, having conceded 40 goals in 29 Premier League games.

Persistent chopping and changing of personnel at the back due to injury problems have been one of the major factors behind the Mancunian club leaking goals. While Amorim and his coaching staff have made their defence a bit more stubborn to break down, improvements are certainly required if Man United are to reach certain level.

Koni De Winter has performed well in Genoa since arriving from Juventus. At 22, he is still relatively young and developing but he has the qualities to thrive in Amorim’s 3-4-2-1 system. If signed, the Belgian should be able to operate anywhere across the three-man defence and even as an emergency wing-back if required. The Antwerp-born talent is also a valuable asset to have during set-piece situations, as evidenced by his three goals in 17 Serie A appearances this season.

Being right-footed, De Winter would provide United’s defence balance and a much-needed calming presence. The ex-Juventus man also fits the profile of signings INEOS want to make now and going forward to help the club restore its lost glory.

That being said, Man United must make a move for De Winter when the transfer window reopens for business later this year. 

I am Rohan Sengupta from one of the busiest cities in India, Mumbai. A Journalism graduate with a keen interest in sports, football is something I simply cannot live without and writing, discussing and analyzing the game is what I do 24*7.