Manchester United are reportedly set to wait until next summer before entering negotiations with Napoli as they continue with their interest in Kalidou Koulibaly.
ESPN report that Napoli's reluctance to do a deal and Aurelio De Laurentiis's infamous difficulty in negotiations have prompted the club to wait until the summer.
The move is a wise one. In this post-Virgil van Dijk sphere, the price of a quality defender will inevitably be significant. Any move that may force Carlo Ancelotti to part with his defender would have to be particularly spectacular in January.
The summer also introduces the possibility of shopping around at alternatives. One of whom is Toby Alderweireld, whose release clause of £25million kicks in this summer. However, Sky Sports reporter Pete Hall revealed on the recent Transfer Talk podcast that the Man United board were not keen on the Spurs defender.
It also makes sense, intentionally or otherwise, to not commit to a big-money signing until securing an eagerly sought after and necessary Director of Football. Juventus sporting director Fabio Paratici was linked to the role last year by reports in Italy while The Independent recently reported that Man United have used Alex Ferguson's links to heavyweight figures in order to conduct interviews with people like Marcello Lippi.
In the meantime, Ole Gunnar Solskjær must make do with what is already at his disposal. They will be without Eric Bailly and Chris Smalling for the upcoming Premier League clash with Spurs, due to suspension and injury respectively.
