Skip to main content

Manchester United and Chelsea are tracking a Bundesliga defender, according to a report.


Castello Lukeba, an RB Leipzig defender, is said to have piqued the interest of both Manchester United and Chelsea after a good season in the Bundesliga.

Leipzig paid a high price for Lukeba, reportedly €34 million (£29 million), when he transferred from Lyon last summer. However, the German side has frequently functioned as a stepping stone for players who aspire to play at the highest level, and it is not uncommon for young talents to move on fast.

According to FootMercato, Manchester United has been studying the 21-year-old for "several weeks," while Chelsea has recently expressed interest.

Both clubs could say goodbye to at least one senior centre-back this summer, with Manchester United yet to exercise an extension option on Raphael Varane's expiring contract and 39-year-old Thiago Silva expected to depart Chelsea and return to club football in Brazil before retiring.

Leipzig are thought to have no plans to sell Lukeba this summer. However, his contract has a €70 million (£60 million) release clause that will take effect in 2025.

Lukeba has started 20 Bundesliga games in 2023/24, including all of Leipzig's last seven, during an unbeaten streak that has seen the team capture 19 points from a possible 21 to return to the top four and qualify for the Champions League.

The defender also started seven of Leipzig's eight Champions League games this season, including home and away in the group stage against Manchester City, as well as the second leg of the last-16 tie against Real Madrid, which ended in a 1-1 draw.

Lukeba has already made one senior appearance for France, coming off the bench in the final minutes of a friendly against Scotland last October. A more permanent spot is more likely to arrive after Euro 2024 than before, but he will be on display at the Olympics on home soil this summer, having been part of Thierry Henry's Under-23 squad last month.

Labels:

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

England appoint Thomas Tuchel as new head coach .

Throughout his tenure, Tuchel won league titles in France and Germany, led Chelsea to their second Champions League victory in 2021, and won six domestic cups. The former Chelsea player replaces current interim manager Lee Carsley, who will return to his position as U21 manager, marking his maiden foray into international management. Last Monday, Tuchel agreed to a deal that will start on January 1 and run for 18 months, ending after the 2026 World Cup. Anthony Barry, with whom he previously collaborated at Chelsea and Bayern Munich, will support him. "I am really happy to have been granted the opportunity to lead the England team. I've had a long-standing personal relationship to the game in this country, and it's already provided me with some fantastic moments," Tuchel said. England FA Statement:- We are pleased to announce that Thomas Tuchel, the winner of the UEFA Champions League, will take over as head coach of the senior men's team for England. Anthony B...
Post a Comment
Read more

Madrid Derby Preview: Can Real Madrid Overcome Atlético's Recent Dominance?

The Madrid Derby has always been more than just a football match—it is a cultural collision, a battle of identities, and a tactical chess match that reflects the evolving philosophies of Spanish football. As the 2026 edition approaches, the stakes feel higher than ever. With Real Madrid chasing the title and Atlético Madrid continuing to disrupt the established order, this derby is not merely about three points—it is about momentum, pride, and psychological supremacy. The central question looms large: can Real Madrid overcome Atlético’s recent dominance, or has the balance of power in the Spanish capital subtly shifted? To understand the present, one must first appreciate the historical weight behind this rivalry. Since their first meeting in 1906, the Madrid Derby has grown into one of the most fiercely contested fixtures in world football. Statistically, Real Madrid still hold the upper hand, with over 120 wins compared to Atlético’s 60 across all competitions . Their dominance is fu...
Post a Comment
Read more

Norway vs Portugal: A Clash of Titans in UEFA Nations League Group A4.

Norway versus Portugal is the kind of international fixture that immediately captures the imagination because it brings together two footballing identities built around extraordinary attacking talent. At Ullevaal Stadion, Erling Haaland and Cristiano Ronaldo stand at the centre of the story, but this contest is larger than a meeting between two famous forwards. It is a battle between Norway’s rising ambition and Portugal’s established tournament pedigree, between a team that wants to announce its arrival and a nation accustomed to carrying expectations. Both sides began their UEFA Nations League Group A4 campaigns with victories, making this second-round encounter an early test of who can seize control of the group. Norway defeated Denmark 3–2, while Portugal edged Wales 1–0. The match also carries an unusual sense of timing. Norway have spent years trying to convert individual promise into collective achievement, while Portugal continue to navigate the delicate transition between one ...
Post a Comment
Read more

Can Roberto Mancini’s Tactical Shield Withstand Zidane’s New France?

France and Italy meet in Paris with more than three Nations League points at stake. The match is a collision between two historic football nations, two celebrated former players turned managers and two projects moving in opposite emotional directions. Zinedine Zidane’s France have begun their new era with consecutive 1–0 victories over Türkiye and Belgium, while Roberto Mancini’s Italy responded to an opening defeat against Belgium with an emphatic 4–1 win over Türkiye. France lead Group A1 with six points, while Italy enter the contest with three. The setting adds another layer. This is Zidane’s first home match as France coach, and it comes against Italy—the country involved in the most unforgettable moment of his playing career, the 2006 World Cup final. But the real story is not nostalgia. It is tactical survival. France possess the athleticism and attacking depth to overwhelm opponents, even without the injured Kylian Mbappé. Italy, under Mancini, must construct a defensive shield...
Post a Comment
Read more

How Man City Plans to Fight the 114-Charge Guilty Verdict.

Manchester City’s long-running financial case has entered its most dangerous phase. After years of investigation, legal argument and uncertainty, the club has reportedly been found guilty of 114 of the 115 Premier League charges brought against it. The punishment has not yet been decided, and City are expected to appeal, meaning the verdict is not necessarily the final word. But the scale of the findings has changed the nature of the crisis. This is no longer simply a dispute over accounting interpretations or administrative cooperation. It is now a direct challenge to the legitimacy of one of the most dominant eras in English football. City’s response will be built around the appeal process, the interpretation of the independent commission’s reasoning and the attempt to limit the practical consequences of any sanction. The club’s lawyers will not be able to erase the public significance of the verdict through statements alone. They will need to identify legal and procedural weaknesses...
Post a Comment
Read more