Manchester United have made contact with Edmond Tapsoba's representatives while Bayer Leverkusen have set a €50million valuation on the defender. At the same time, reports say Bruno Fernandes's £57m exit clause has expired and United are refusing to sell him this summer, even if a major offer arrives.

Tapsoba's profile

Tapsoba is being sold as exactly the kind of centre-back United need if they want depth without losing the ability to build from the back. He is 6ft 4in, and the pitch for him is clear enough: strong in the air, comfortable covering large areas and suited to a high-tempo build-up.

That is backed by what he has done for Leverkusen. He made 270 appearances in all competitions after joining in 2020 and has scored 13 goals, which is a decent return for a defender and another reason clubs have been circling him.

The recent numbers are steady too. His latest league outing brought a 7.0 rating over 94 minutes against Hamburger SV, and across his last five competitive matches he has averaged 7.08.

United's stance on Fernandes

United's message on Fernandes is the more immediate part of the story. Galatasaray have interest, but the club are said to be making it clear that he will not be sold this summer.

Carrick has also been talking up the need to keep improving the group. Speaking to teamtalk.com, he said: "We've improved the group. We've improved the squad in different ways. Balance, quality and the direction we want to go in."

United's recent results help explain why a centre-back move is being treated as reinforcement rather than panic. They have taken four wins and one draw in their last five league matches, and they finished third in the 2025 Premier League table.

The numbers suggest a club trying to add another high-level defender without disturbing its captain. United's next move will be shaped by whether they push past contact and into formal talks with Leverkusen, but the Fernandes line already looks firm ahead of the rest of the summer window.

Written by Jack Mercer with AI-assisted research, cross-checked against 5 outlets. How we work →