90min

Man Utd & Chelsea tracking Bundesliga defender - report

  • Castello Lukeba is linked with high profile summer transfer
  • RB Leipzig defender has impressed in Bundesliga & Champions League
  • Man Utd & Chelsea named as clubs tracking his recent progress

By Jamie Spencer

Castello Lukeba is making a name for himself in Germany
Castello Lukeba is making a name for himself in Germany / Angel Martinez/GettyImages
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RB Leipzig defender Castello Lukeba is reported to have caught the attention of both Manchester United and Chelsea following an impressive season in the Bundesliga.

Leipzig spent big – around €34m (£29m) – on Lukeba just last summer when he joined the club from Lyon. But the German side have often served as a stepping stone for players ultimately looking to play at the highest level and it isn’t uncommon for young talents to move on relatively quickly.

FootMercato writes that Manchester United have been monitoring the 21-year-old for "several weeks", while Chelsea have taken an interest a little more recently.

Both clubs could bid farewell to at least one senior centre-back this summer, with Manchester United yet to trigger an extension option in Raphael Varane's expiring contract and 39-year-old Thiago Silva tipped to leave Chelsea and return to club football back home in Brazil before retiring.

As it stands, Leipzig are said to have no intention to sell Lukeba this summer. However, a €70m (£60m) release clause in his contract is due to become active in 2025.

Castello Lukeba
Lukeba has been a regular for Leipzig this season / Luciano Lima/GettyImages

Lukeba has started 20 Bundesliga games so far in 2023/24, including all of Leipzig's last seven, coinciding with an unbeaten run that has seen the team take 19 points from a possible 21 to fly back into the top four and towards Champions League qualification.

The defender also started seven of Leipzig's eight Champions League games this season, including home and away in the group stage against Manchester City and in the second leg of the last 16 tie against Real Madrid, which finished as a 1-1 draw.

Lukeba already has one senior France appearance under his belt, featuring off the bench in the closing stages of a friendly against Scotland last October. A more permanent place is more likely to come after Euro 2024 than before, but he stands to be on display at the Olympics on home soil this summer, having been part of an Under-23 squad managed by Thierry Henry last month.

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