Liverpool, Manchester United, Real Madrid receive boost for elite young defender
Liverpool, Manchester United and other interested clubs have been handed a boost in their pursuit of RB Leipzig's Castello Lukeba, with it claimed that his release clause will lower with each passing year.
The defender has helped lead RB Leipzig to second place in the Bundesliga, and the Frenchman's ability on the ball and capacity to defend wide channels on the left of defence has led to significant interest in the 21-year-old's signature.
Indeed, Leipzig have only conceded three goals in the Bundesliga this season, and Lukeba's strong defensive showings have helped him stand out.
With managers increasingly utilising nominal centre-backs as defensive full-backs, the Frenchman could be suited to such a role at numerous clubs across the continent.
Liverpool Echo claim via Sky Germany that Arne Slot's side are among a number of clubs who have received a boost in their quest to sign RB Leipzig's Castello Lukeba, whose new contract includes a release clause of £75m this summer which will reportedly drop to £66m in the summer of 2026 and again to £54m in the summer of 2027.
Lukeba: options assessed
Manchester United could certainly be a viable option for Lukeba in terms of playing time, as while Luke Shaw is primarily seen as Erik ten Hag's first choice on the left of defence, the Englishman is yet to play this campaign and has been plagued by injury issues.
Ten Hag has often been forced to deploy natural right-back Diogo Dalot as a left-back, and it is fairly easy to see how the Leipzig defender could fit into the XI.
However, given the uncertainty regarding the future of boss Ten Hag, moving to Old Trafford could be a risk to Lukeba's development, with other stars like Jadon Sancho struggling to make the most of their talent in Manchester.
If the Frenchman was to move to Liverpool, he would likely be deployed in a similar position on the left side of Slot's defence, and a move to Merseyside could be more beneficial to the young defender's career given the Reds' more stable environment.
Having said that, with Andrew Robertson still at Liverpool and playing regularly under Slot, and Virgil van Dijk potentially staying at the club, there would be question marks about whether Lukeba would have adequate game time.
Real Madrid to pounce?
While United and Liverpool might have interest in signing the Leipzig defender, they could also face fierce competition from Real Madrid, who have long been rumoured to be in the market for defensive reinforcements.
The Spanish champions are known to be admirers of Trent Alexander-Arnold, and also hold interest in left-back Alphonso Davies, and it would not be surprising if they were keeping tabs on Lukeba's development as well.
Manchester United have also implemented cost-cutting measures at the club under the ownership of Sir Jim Ratcliffe, and perhaps the Red Devils would prefer to wait for the defender's release clause to lower.
As for Liverpool, they infamously lost out on Jude Bellingham to Real Madrid and have so far spent meagre sums under Slot, with Federico Chiesa the only immediate addition made this summer.
Regardless, the fact that Lukeba's new contract includes a release will mean that clubs across Europe will inevitably monitor the Frenchman's progress at Leipzig with a view to adding him to their ranks.
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