Manchester United set £18m sights elsewhere amid links to Rangers star

Manchester United appear to be reigniting their interest for Atletico Madrid full-back Kieran Trippier amid outlandish links to Rangers captain James Tavernier earlier in the summer.

The Premier League giants are on the hunt for fresh full-back talent as they continue to bolster their squad ahead of the upcoming season.

Manchester United reportedly retain an £18m interest in England and Atleti full-back Kieran Trippier amid links to Rangers captain James Tavernier. (Photo by Shaun Botterill – UEFA/UEFA via Getty Images)

So far the Red Devils have splashed a reported £73m to take England international winger Jadon Sancho to Manchester with a £25m deal for Real Madrid star Raphael Varane also in the pipeline.

Now, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s side appears to have turned their attentions to England right-back Trippier, 30, amid reports of a potential £18m deal [Daily Star].

The ex-Burnley and Tottenham Hotspur full-back would be in direct competition with £50m right-back Aaron Wan Bissaka in a vastly improved United squad next season.

It’s an exciting time for United fans but the Rangers support also have a vested interest in who they sign in the position after links to Ibrox skipper Tav earlier in the summer.

Tavernier, 29, is one of the most prolific full-backs in European football and even wound up the Gers’ top scorer last season (19) and had a quite remarkable assist record too (16).

So far in his Gers career, Tav has 65 goals and 90 assists in a Rangers jersey, meaning he has had 155 goal involvements in 289 games from right-back. It’s frightening.

These numbers were always going to pique the interest of someone south of the border and according to 90min.com a total of four Premier League clubs have Tav on their shortlists.

Amongst them include United, who apparently have Tavernier as an “alternative” to Trippier should a move for the England international fall through.

Rangers captain James Tavernier is committed to Ibrox ahead of the new season, signing a new two-year contract extension in the close season, tying him to the club until 2024. (Photo by Ian MacNicol/Getty Images)

Given those intensifying reports, this will come as good news to Rangers fans desperate to keep their captain fantastic at the club.

The other sides mentioned in the report are Arsenal, Brighton and newly promoted Norwich City.

Not that Tavernier has his eyes set on the exit door – the Gers skipper reiterated his commitment to the Ibrox club after lifting 55.