Fulham central defender Calvin Bassey is expected to feature prominently on Mauricio Pochettino’s list of Manchester United targets for the January transfer window.
Pochettino will start work as United’s head coach later this week, with his first priority being to pull the club away from the Premier League relegation zone.
The club will also need to quickly start planning for the January transfer window with Pochettino, who will want to strengthen United’s defence as a matter of urgency.
Bassey is already considered a strong option for United after making a good start to the season at Fulham, where he has a contract that runs to next summer with the option to extend it for a further 12 months.
United are currently short of pace at the back, which Bassey could give them. He is also physically imposing and is able to fill in at left-back, which would be helpful to Pochettino given Luke Shaw’s injury record.
In the first 10 Premier League games of the season, United have already conceded 19 goals. Only Crystal Palace and Ipswich Town, who were promoted from the Championship in the summer, have conceded more.
Gary Neville has claimed United have “the worst back four in the Premier League”. The club have conceded more times (30) across all competitions than any other side in Europe’s top-five leagues this season.
Bassey has captained Fulham under head coach Alvaro Arbeloa this season and the Spaniard has described the 26-year-old as being one of the best defenders in the Premier League.
Arbeloa has also outlined his desire to secure Bassey to a new contract, but Fulham would find it difficult to turn down a big offer for the player in January if a new long-term deal is not agreed before then.
Bassey impressed in Fulham’s draw with United at Craven Cottage earlier this season, when Arbeloa said: “Calvin is one of the best defenders in the Premier League. He plays at a high level with and without the ball. He is doing so well.”