Man Utd defender eyes next club as free transfer nears | OneFootball

Manchester United defender Victor Lindelof is considered likely to leave the club at the end of the season and there may already be a clue as to his potential next step, according to multiple reports.

Lindelof arrived at Old Trafford with much hype in the summer of 2017, although it took him a full season to properly establish himself as a starter under Jose Mourinho and then Ole Gunnar Solskjaer.

Since 2022, injuries have largely been behind the Swede falling out of favour. A 12-month extension option in his contract was triggered last season, but 11 appearances totalling 407 minutes is all that Lindelof has managed so far in 2024/25.

With everyone fit and available, Lindelof would perhaps be fifth-choice United centre-back behind Lisandro Martinez, Leny Yoro, Harry Maguire and Matthijs de Ligt.

Lindelof has struggled with injuries in recent years / Marc Atkins/GettyImages

A free transfer when his contract expires at the end of the season is on the cards and Portuguese outlet Record has reported that a return to his former club Benfica could be an option.

Lindelof was just 18 when he left home-town team Vasteras in Sweden's lower leagues to join Benfica. Record notes that the Lisbon giants are "keeping an eye" on Lindelof, with suggestions that the player himself would also be interested in the potential move. The 30-year-old is said to still regularly return to Portugal and could see now as the right time to return.

The Times go so far as to say that talks between Lindelof and Benfica have already begun, even if they are not at an advanced stage. The centre-back is said to be "high on their shortlist of targets".

It is possible that a place in the Benfica squad will be opened up by Nicolas Otamendi's expected departure at the end of his contract – the former Manchester City centre-back recently turned 37 and has been tipped to return home to Argentina.

Antonio Silva also remains linked with a high profile transfer, with Juventus rumoured to be the most likely destination despite longstanding speculation about Manchester United and Liverpool.