Man United, Man City 'to battle' for right-back following 'years of strong links'

Manchester United and Manchester City are reportedly interested in signing Inter Milan defender Denzel Dumfries.

The two city rivals played out the latest edition of the Manchester derby on Sunday afternoon, when Pep Guardiola's team picked up a 3-0 success.

After starting the campaign on the fringes of the team, Man City star Phil Foden opened the scoring for the Citizens at the Etihad.

Never afraid to inflict pain onto the Red Devils, Erling Haaland got among the goalscoring action to seal the result, bagging a brace.

Collecting just four points from as many Premier League matches so far, Ruben Amorim's men sit in a lowly 14th spot in the top-flight standings.

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Man United, Man City to battle for Dumfries?

According to Football Insider, the Manchester rivals could be fighting off the pitch for the signing of a defender in the near future.

The report states that both United and City are keen on securing the services of Inter Milan and Netherlands full-back Dumfries.

Twenty-nine-year-old recently revealed that he would entertain a Premier League switch, seemingly opening the door to a transfer to Old Trafford or the Etihad.

With his contract expiring during the summer of 2026, a sizeable offer would be needed to lure Inter Milan into a sale of the defender.

Dumfries had a release clause of £21.5m during the summer transfer window, however that stipulation was not triggered before its expiry date in the middle of July.

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Liverpool links for ageing Dumfries

Dumfries was linked to Premier League champions Liverpool during the summer window, before the Reds decided to pursue a move for Jeremie Frimpong.

A proven player in Serie A and on the continental scene, the right-back would be an exciting addition to either the United or City ranks.

However, it is said that Guardiola's troops are slightly concerned about the age profile of Dumfries, who turns 30 next April.