Manchester United have been boosted in their hopes of keeping Diogo Dalot at Old Trafford for the foreseeable future as long-term admirers Real Madrid have opted against including him among their top targets when putting plans in place to sign a new right-back in 2025, GIVEMESPORT sources have revealed.
The Red Devils returned to winning ways last weekend as, having seen Alejandro Garnacho cancel out Mikkel Damsgaard’s first half opener against Brentford, Rasmus Hojlund completed the comeback by bagging his second goal of the season to ease the pressure on boss Erik ten Hag.
Noussair Mazraoui headed to Manchester United in a deal worth up to £17.1million from Bayern Munich during the summer transfer window, resulted in them having cover on the right-hand side of their backline, but fears of losing Dalot in the coming months have been eased.
Ten Hag Desperate to Avoid Dalot Departure
Real Madrid not viewing right-back as top target despite admiration
Manchester United are hoping that Real Madrid will not make a significant U-turn and include Dalot among their top targets for next season, according to GMS sources, after the La Liga giants have pinpointed Liverpool favourite Trent Alexander-Arnold, Bayer Leverkusen man Jeremie Frimpong and Tottenham Hotspur’s Pedro Porro as their preferred options.
Although the Red Devils are in a strong negotiating position thanks to the Portugal international still having just shy of four years remaining on his contract, which allows him to pocket £100,000-per-week when bonuses are triggered, there is an awareness that he has been on Los Blancos’ radar as a potential acquisition.
GMS sources have been informed that Manchester United are comfortable after discovering that they will not necessarily have to fight to hold onto Dalot, who has become one of the more important and trustworthy members of the squad under ten Hag, and they are desperate for Real Madrid to continue looking in another direction.
Diogo Dalot’s season-by-season statistics in the Premier League | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Season | Appearances | Goals | Assists | Yellow cards | Sent off |
2024/25 | 8 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 0 |
2023/24 | 36 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 1 |
2022/23 | 26 | 1 | 2 | 6 | 0 |
2021/22 | 24 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 0 |
2019/20 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
2018/19 | 16 | 0 | 2 | 3 | 0 |
Statistics correct as of 22/10/2024 | |||||
The 25-year-old has failed to miss a single minute of the Premier League season and has made 12 appearances in all competitions, contributing a solitary assist along the way, highlighting that the Red Devils are determined to keep him out of the clutches of suitors when the transfer window reopens for business.
Alexander-Arnold, Frimpong and Porro were identified as Real Madrid head coach Carlo Ancelotti’s leading right-back targets when he whittled down his shortlist of potential recruits earlier this month, GMS sources have learned, resulting in Manchester United growing increasingly confident that a bid for Dalot is not forthcoming.
Dalot Poised to Remain on Los Blancos’ Radar
Red Devils having to remain cautious over Portugal international
GMS sources have been told that Dalot will stay on Real Madrid’s radar as they continue assessing their options, meaning that Manchester United keeping him on board is still not a certainty despite Alexander-Arnold, Frimpong and Porro being primary targets for last season’s Champions League winners.
The Old Trafford fan favourite has been on the Red Devils’ books since completing a £19million switch from boyhood club Porto in June 2018, and his consistent performances have resulted in Ancelotti remaining an admirer as he seeks a long-term successor to Dani Carvajal on the right-hand side of Los Blancos’ backline.
But Real Madrid’s decision not to prioritise a move for Dalot has come as a surprise twist as GMS sources recently revealed that Liverpool succeeding in tying Alexander-Arnold down to fresh terms could result in the Spanish giants turning their attentions towards landing the Manchester United man instead.
All statistics courtesy of Transfermarkt and WhoScored