Another setback. Manchester United receive rejection in bid to sign Premier League defender
Manchester United will not be able to sign Aston Villa defender Ian Maatsen during the current transfer window. The Birmingham club have decided to keep the Dutchman and intend to offer him a new contract.
According to TeamTALK, Manchester United had previously made an enquiry about a possible move for the 24-year-old left-back. Michael Carrick's side continue to look for reinforcements in that position, with Luke Shaw in need of competition ahead of a demanding season in the Premier League and Champions League.
However, Aston Villa have no interest in selling Maatsen. Moreover, the club are expected to begin talks with the player over a new deal in the near future, making their stance on a potential transfer clear.
Following their failure to make progress in talks over Maatsen, Manchester United continue to explore other options. One of the candidates remains Barcelona left-back Alejandro Balde.
However, a deal for the Spaniard also appears extremely difficult. Balde wants to remain at Barcelona, while the Catalan club have no intention of allowing the player to leave on loan. In addition, Manchester United believe the overall cost of a potential transfer is too high.
Jan Novak
Dailysports's expert
