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According to CalcioMercato, Manchester United are tracking 22-year-old Sampdoria defender and Danish youth international Joachim Andersen with a possible summer move in mind.

What's the word, then?

The Red Devils' Premier League rivals Arsenal also have their eye on the centre-back, reportedly valued at £22 million by his current Serie A club.

Both sides are clearly looking to bolster their defences in the summer transfer window, with United also linked to a series of other defenders across Europe by various different football media outlets.

Andersen is a tall (6 ft 4) physical centre-half who has represented Denmark at every youth level between under-16 and under-21 and made 37 Sampdoria appearances since a move from FC Twente, capturing the attention of some of the finest clubs in European football in the process.

The ideal man to complete United's backline

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer's team could look to sign more than one central defender at the end of 2018/2019 and Andersen is the perfect player to complement a real marquee signing in that area.

Tottenham's Hotspur's Toby Alderweireld and Kalidou Koulibaly of Napoli have been the main two names mentioned for the Old Trafford club at centre-half in the summer.

Both are big-name stars over the age of 27 who could bring plenty of experience and quality to the table, but Ed Woodward is unlikely to be able to afford both.

This means a secondary centre-back addition should be highly considered and a little younger than Alderweireld and Koulibaly, Andersen is the man.

The Danish powerhouse will especially need to be considered if the Red Devils are going to let any central defenders leave before the start of 2019/2020, even if it's just to make up the numbers.

Andersen has great potential and could go grow into a Premier League regular once he reaches the prime years of his career, United will want to make sure it happens with them and not the Gunners by signing a young centre-half who would round off the summer defensive spending rather nicely.