Manchester United will have to pay £43 million to sign Edmond Tapsoba from Bayer Leverkusen, according to reports. The Bundesliga club is reluctant to lose the central defender but has left the door open to a 'suitable financial offer'.
Interest from Premier League rivals
Newcastle United and Tottenham Hotspur have also shown interest in the Leverkusen captain, as reported by fussballdaten. The Premier League clubs are said to be in close contact with Tapsoba's representatives regarding transfer demands.
The outlet describes Tapsoba as 'tailor-made' for a club looking to build up play at a high tempo and cover large areas. Developments in the 27-year-old's future are expected in the coming weeks.
Key figure for Leverkusen
Tapsoba is a key player for Leverkusen, having scored five goals in 29 Bundesliga appearances last season. The Burkina Faso international signed a new contract earlier this year, tying him to the club until 2031.
His desire for a move has fueled transfer speculation, it is reported. Newcastle are said to see him as a ready-made leader in defence.
United's transfer priorities
United were previously linked with Tapsoba in 2024, but that summer saw the club add Leny Yoro and Matthijs de Ligt instead. This summer, United's priorities have been in other positions, focusing on improving Michael Carrick's squad at left-back and in central midfield.
Youri Tielemans and Andrey Santos have already arrived at Old Trafford, but United could still add another central midfielder. The club has also shown interest in Lewis Hall, but Newcastle have told rivals he is not for sale, and Club Brugge have sent a similar message regarding Joaquin Seys.
Carrick has publicly admitted he wants more signings before the window closes. "We've improved the group," he said. "We've improved the squad in different ways. Balance, quality and the direction we want to go in."
"So the players that we've brought in, I think we've done really good business and we've got some top, top, top players. So we're delighted with that. We always want to improve. We want more, we need more. We keep looking forward to how we can do that. So that never stops. We're conscious of that and we've got to keep pushing."
