Manchester United begin move for 'the next Nemanja Vidic': report

Serbia Euro 2024 squad Referee Antonio Nobre of Portugal and Strahinja Pavlovic of Serbia during the international friendly match between Austria and Serbia at Ernst Happel Stadion on June 4, 2024 in Vienna, Austria. (Photo by Guenther Iby/SEPA.Media /Getty Images) — Strahinja Pavlovic of Serbia (Image credit: Getty Images)

Manchester United are targeting "the next Nemanja Vidic" this summer as they look to bolster their defensive options.

Harry Maguire has already signed a new contract with the club, but Lisandro Martinez and Matthijs de Ligt have proven to be unreliable options, with both suffering repeated injuries throughout their time at Old Trafford.

Strahinja Pavlovic could cost as much as £45m

After a strong showing in Serie A this season, the Serbian defender has drawn comparisons with his fellow countryman and former Man United man Nemanja Vidic.

As such, his price tag is expected to be around the 40-50m Euro mark (£35-45m), with Chelsea, Crystal Palace and clubs in Saudi Arabia also reportedly tracking his progress.

Benoit Badiashile of Chelsea during the Emirates FA Cup Fourth Round Replay match between Aston Villa and Chelsea at Villa Park on February 07, 2024 in Birmingham, England. — Chelsea see Pavlovic as a replacement for Benoit Badiashile (Image credit: Catherine Ivill/Getty Images)

Should Milan fail to qualify for the Champions League, it could leave them in a position where they have to sell some of their star players.

Pavlovic's exit would represent a sizeable return on investment, after he joined from RB Salzburg for £15m in 2024.

According to Fichajes, a "bidding war" is expected between Man United and Chelsea, who are reportedly looking for a replacement for Benoit Badiashile.

Crystal Palace are also keeping an eye on the situation, as they look to build on a season in which they could take home a first-ever European trophy.

Milan's preference is to keep the defender, with reports in Italy claiming they see him as a future club captain.

Karim Coulibaly of SV Werder Bremen looks on during the 1.Bundesliga match between Borussia M&ouml;nchengladbach and Werder Bremen at Borussia-Park, M&ouml;nchengladbach, Germany on September 14, 2025 — Man United are also interested in Werder Bremen's Karim Coulibaly (Image credit: Getty Images)

Pavlovic isn't the only defender Man United have their eyes on this summer, with Werder Bremen's Karim Coulibaly another option on their radar.

The 18-year-old has impressed in the Bundesliga this season, becoming Werder's youngest ever Bundesliga goalscorer in the process.

The defender's potential has been spotted before, with FourFourTwo even listing him as one of the best wonderkids in Football Manager 26.

TOPICS

Ryan Gray is a freelance writer, covering mainly travel and occasionally sport. He previously spent two years as Sports Editor at the Watford Observer before turning his hand to travel writing, with his work appearing in various national UK publications. He has gone from providing matchday commentary for Blyth Spartans to covering FA Cup and Euros finals, as well as interviewing the likes of Claudio Ranieri, Alan Shearer and Glenn Hoddle, among other big names.