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Manchester United are now considering a move to sign Blackburn Rovers defender Tom Atcheson this summer in a move that could see Ineos avoid the regret around Adam Wharton.
This summer, Manchester United’s transfer plans are centred around the midfield, but other positions are also on the agenda, this summer including the centre-back department.
Tom Atcheson has now emerged as a potentially cheaper option for Ineos to sign this summer as a centre-back.
The Blackburn Rovers ace has been impressing this season, and now Jason Wilcox and Co. are monitoring a potential move.
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Photo by Kate McShane/Getty ImagesManchester United monitoring Blackburn Rovers’ Tom Atcheson
Manchester United and Blackburn Rovers have a long history, with Phil Jones the player who last made the move between the two clubs.
But now, according to TeamTalk, Atcheson is potentially the next to make the leap.
The report claims that Blackburn are looking to tie Atcheson down to a new contract amid growing interest in the Premier League.
United are alongside Tottenham, Newcastle, Sunderland, Everton, Brentford, and Brighton as having an interest in the 19-year-old in England, while RB Leipzig and Borussia Dortmund are also keen.
Atcheson is rated really highly by Michael O’Neill, who is the manager of both Blackburn and Northern Ireland, and plays the defender for both.
O’Neill praised Atcheson while talking to the Belfast Telegraph last week.
“He’s someone we knew about when he was in (Northern Ireland’s) Under-19s and Under-21s, we knew had a lot of potential,” O’Neill said on Thursday.
“He’s got a great temperament. He’s very calm, he’s balanced, and I think we’ve seen that in recent games.”
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Manchester United signing Atcheson would see Adam Wharton failure rectified
Atcheson is a brilliant young defender, with his performances in the Championship for Blackburn nothing short of impressive.
Dominating in duels and contributing so much defensive quality, he would be an interesting signing who likely arrives as a squad player.
However, adding a young talent like this would be more for the future.
These types of signings are what United have often regretted not moving for a young talent.
This is the case with United missing out on Adam Wharton, also from Blackburn. Wharton is now on United’s shortlist, just for £65m instead of the £20m he was originally costing.
Atcheson for the future or even loaned back would be a smart move for United this summer.
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