MANCHESTER UNITED and Bayern Munich are tracking a towering 20-year-old with the potential to be the best centre-back Norway has ever produced.
The Red Devils scouted Brann’s Eivind Helland in his side’s 3-1 win against Viking Stavanger earlier this month.
GettyNorway defender Eivind Helland is being tracked by Man Utd and Bayern Munich[/caption]
GettyHelland was watched by a Man Utd scout earlier this month[/caption]
And the Bundesliga champions followed suit by dispatching an official to watch the Norwegian Under-21 international in his side’s 2-0 defeat to KFUM in Oslo on Saturday.
Helland, who was compared to Ballon d’Or winner Rodri by Brann coach Freyr Alexandersson before the season began, blotted his copybook by getting sent off in the latter.
A frustrated swipe at a KFUM striker in stoppage time brought him a second yellow card.
Ruben Amorim has prioritised other positions in his recruitment drive to bring more goals to Old Trafford this summer.
But Helland could be being lined up by the club as a long-term replacement for Harry Maguire, who has only one year left on his contract.
Likewise, Bayern are looking to revamp their options in the position after signing Jonathan Tah from Bayer Leverkusen earlier this summer.
Speculation over Kim Min-jae‘s future in Munich continues to swirl following a disappointing, injury-riddled season, while Hiroki Ito was rarely fit during his first year at the club.
United and Bayern are unlikely to be the only European giants monitoring Helland, who captained Norway’s Under-21s when they thrashed Wales 4-0 in June.
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Borussia Dortmund and Red Bull Salzburg, two of Erling Haaland’s former clubs, are aware of Helland’s potential with the Austrian side having done plenty of homework on him ahead of Wednesday’s qualifier in Bergen.
Helland’s height makes him a commanding figure in both penalty areas with former Norway international turned TV pundit Jan Age Fjortoft warning Salzburg of the defender’s “huge presence” this week.
The youngster is not afraid to put his physical attributes to good use when defending and remains composed in possession when bringing the ball out from the back.
His ability to deliver accurate, long-range passes to the wings is another eye-catching attribute.
Meanwhile, United goalkeeper Radek Vitek could be on the move again later this month with Sturm Graz touted as a possible destination for a third loan stint.
The 21-year-old, who has had spells at Accrington Stanley and Blau Weiss Linz, did not make the trip to Stockholm for United’s first pre-season friendly against Leeds and is unlikely to travel to the United States with Amorim’s senior squad.
Sturm, who won the Austrian title last season, are looking for a keeper after their number one Daniil Khudyakov suffered an injury.
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