Manchester United are once again prepared to go into a new season without a centre-back signing, if they cannot bring in Ajax's Mattijs de Ligt.
The club are interested in the 19-year-old and willing to agree a persuasive cash offer, but are said to have greatly fallen behind Paris Saint-Germain and Barcelona, and otherwise do not really have any targets in the position.
The issue was a huge flashpoint for previous manager Jose Mourinho, but executive vice-chairman Ed Woodward has remained consistent on it.
He is only willing to purchase a top-class centre-half and, since United already have multiple options there - including Chris Smalling and Phil Jones, who both recently signed new contracts - the priorities are other positions. There is interest in Harry Maguire and Kalidou Koulibaly but their prices may be prohibitive, and the club are ready to persist with their current defenders.
That view is aided by the fact Ole Gunnar Solskjaer is prepared to give Eric Bailly another opportunity to impose himself, while more chances are likely to be given to Axel Tuanzebe, who spent the 2018-19 season at Aston Villa, in an impressive loan spell.
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