Manchester United are among Premier League clubs monitoring the progress of Sporting Lisbon centre-back Zeno Debast ahead of the January transfer window, according to Caught Offside.
The Red Devils primarily focused on bolstering their attack during the summer. Matheus Cunha, Bryan Mbeumo and Benjamin Sesko were signed to strengthen the forward department.
The focus will turn to the defence ahead of January, and Caught Offside claim that Man United have dispatched scouts to evaluate Debast’s game in detail before the turn of the year.
The Mancunian giants could test Sporting’s resolve with a £35 million offer, though the bid would fall well short of the £69 million release clause present in the defender’s contract.
Sporting could be willing to negotiate on the final fee, given there is a 15% sell-on clause owed to Debast’s former side Anderlecht.
Versatility
Debast signed for the reigning Portuguese champions from Anderlecht in the summer of 2024. He had an impressive debut campaign where he operated from two positions for Sporting.
The 21-year-old started the campaign as a central defender under manager Ruben Amorim. With Amorim’s move to the Red Devils, he was deployed as more of a defensive midfielder.
Despite playing in multiple roles, Debast completed 90% of his passes in his debut campaign at Sporting. He also made more than 4 recoveries per outing while making some goal contributions.
His versatility could be a big reason behind the Red Devils’ pursuit. Debast’s progress has already earned him a regular starting role for Belgium under new head coach Rudi Garcia.
He could be prepared for a bigger challenger at club level too. A chance to reunite with Amorim could be tempting, but a decision ultimately depends on the manager and United’s valuation.
Sporting are unlikely to provide a significant discount on the fee, and the onus is on the Red Devils to persuade the Portuguese club to sell, given the player has a contract until June 2029.
Signing Debast in January would be a good move. With the World Cup coming up next summer, the demand for his services could increase if he stars for Belgium at the global tournament.
