Man Utd transfer: Shock Chelsea deal eyed as Ten Hag’s side pursue £26m agreement with Euro giants

Premier League giants Man Utd have their eyes set on a surprise move for Chelsea defender Trevoh Chalobah, according to reports.

The Red Devils had a brilliant first season under Erik ten Hag with the Dutchman leading them to an FA Cup final, League Cup glory and a top-four finish in the Premier League.

But the first half of this season has not gone to plan with Man Utd out of the Champions League and the League Cup and struggling in seventh place in the Premier League with 17 matches to play.

And Man Utd boss Ten Hag is desperate for reinforcements in the January transfer window with rumours he wants as many as three new signings.

It is understood that Ten Hag wants ‘a centre-back, midfielder, and a striker’ in order to help Man Utd progress up the table in the second half of the campaign and secure European football for next season.

There have been many rumours linking the Red Devils with centre-backs as Ten Hag looks to improve his current options in that position.

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Ten Hag started the season knowing Lisandro Martinez and Raphael Varane was his first-choice centre-back pairing but a number of things have potentially changed that.

Martinez – who has been injured for most of the season – is likely to be straight into the team on his return but Harry Maguire was in good form before he too picked up an injury.

Ten Hag is currently starting Varane with Jonny Evans – who has played a much bigger part than anticipated this season – and Man Utd could do with reinforcements.

And Spanish publication Fichajes claims that the Premier League side ‘have entered the fray’ for Chelsea defender Chalobah.

Chalobah has not played all season due to injury but recently declared himself fit again after suffering a recurrence of a hamstring issue back in training in August.

And the 24-year-old has now ‘aroused the interest’ of Man Utd and several other clubs with Fichajes adding that ‘the possible acquisition of Chalobah could be a strategic move’ by the Red Devils.

But Chalobah is not the only centre-back Man Utd are looking at with another Spanish publication, Nacional, claiming that the Red Devils are ‘negotiating’ with Barcelona over a potential deal for Andreas Christensen.

The Denmark international ‘has completely lost his place’ in Xavi’s plans at the Camp Nou and ‘will have no problem packing his bags’ as he ‘has many offers’ to leave.

Man Utd and Newcastle are both ‘willing’ to pay €30m (£26m) to take Christensen off Barcelona’s hands in the January transfer window.

It is understood that the Red Devils ‘can pay without any problem’ and that Man Utd are now ‘trying to get him to return’ to the Premier League.