Manchester United ‘ramp up their pursuit of £60m-rated Sevilla defender Jules Kounde’

Manchester United are heating up their pursuit of Sevilla centre-back Jules Kounde, according to the Mirror.

United manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has made the £60million-rated defender his prime transfer target for the summer’s window as he continues to build for the future.

Solskjaer views the 22-year-old Frenchman as an ideal centre-back partner for Harry Maguire, who became the world’s most expensive defender in an £80million move from Leicester City.

Kounde has caught the eye of plenty of potential suitors this season after putting in impressive performances for Sevilla.

Bayern Munich, Juventus and Real Madrid are all keeping Kounde on their radar, as he continues to grow in stature as a modern-day style defender.

The 22-year-old’s contributions on the pitch have gone a long way for Julen Lopetegui’s side, as they sit poised behind Barcelona, Real Madrid and league leaders Atletico Madrid in LaLiga.

While Manchester United have had a strong season so far in the Premier League and have established themselves as potential title contenders, they still want to strengthen their defensive options moving forward.

Captain Harry Maguire is viewed as the first-choice defender with Victor Lindelof currently his most consistent partner at the back.

Eric Bailly and Axel Tuanzebe have rotated for the other centre-back spot, but the Old Trafford boss is keen to sign a young star in the summer – with Kounde fitting the bill.

Solskjaer is likely to have more money to spend during the summer window, with the likes of Marcos Rojo, Phil Jones and Sergio Romero all to depart at the end of the season.