Manchester United’s backline continues to be a problem, two summers after investing heavily in Matthijs de Ligt and Leny Yoro. The Red Devils appeared to have managed a coup when they convinced the Dutch defender to leave Bayern Munich for Old Trafford in the summer of 2024.
The Premier League giants then saw off stiff competition from Real Madrid to secure the services of Yoro. Six months later, INEOS prised away another talented defender in Ayden Heaven from Arsenal.
If fans expected United’s defensive woes to have been solved after some calculated investment, they were in for a surprise.
United defensive woes
De Ligt had a good start to life at Old Trafford and was arguably one of the finest defenders in the Premier League in the first half of last season. When it finally looked like United had found Harry Maguire’s long-term replacement, disaster struck in December.
The Dutchman was sidelined with a back issue and has spent the last ten months on the sidelines. The Red Devils have struggled in his absence, and his injury troubles have prompted talks of further reinforcements at the back.
Meanwhile, Yoro and Heaven also showed great promise whenever called upon, but have struggled to find their feet this season. United are yet to register a clean sheet in the Premier League this season, letting in eight goals in five games. With Maguire already on the wrong side of thirty and Lisandro Martinez out of contract at the end of this season, the Premier League giants are expected to further invest in defenders in 2027.
A previous report relayed by The Peoples Person has named VfB Stuttgart defender Finn Jeltsch as an option for the job. An update on the saga has now emerged.
Stuttgart set exorbitant asking price for Jeltsch
According to Fussball News, Jeltsch is drawing interest from top clubs across Europe. The report states: “According to information from fussball-news.de, Real Madrid, Bayern Munich, Arsenal, Liverpool and Manchester United, amongst others, are keeping an eye on the 20-year-old centre-back.”
The report states that Los Blancos are paying close attention to the German defender’s development, while Premier League clubs have already scouted him several times. It continues: “Arsenal, Liverpool and Manchester United have had the Stuttgart player scouted in person on several occasions and are compiling detailed analyses of his development.”
Finn Jeltsch Stats: 2025/26 Season
| Competition | Appearances | Starts | Goals | Assists | Yellow cards | Red cards | Minutes played |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bundesliga | 23 | 17 | - | 1 | 3 | - | 1,506' |
| UEFA Europa League | 10 | 9 | - | - | 1 | - | 729' |
| DFB-Pokal | 4 | 2 | - | - | 1 | - | 232' |
| Franz-Beckenbauer-Supercup | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| Total | 37 | 28 | - | 1 | 5 | - | 2,467' |
Source: Transfermarkt.
As previously relayed by The Peoples Person, a move in January is almost impossible, and Stuttgart are yet to receive any concrete offers for the 20-year-old. Jeltsch is under contract until 2030, but things could change if an interested party matches the Bundesliga club’s asking price.
The report adds: “According to information from fussball-news.de, however, VfB would only enter into potential talks if the figure were in the region of 50 to 60 million euros.”
“In addition, the Swabians could demand performance-related bonus payments as well as a share of any future resale. Without an exceptionally lucrative offer, Jeltsch is expected to remain in Stuttgart until at least the summer of 2027.”
Final Thoughts
Jeltsch is a physical defender who is also excellent with the ball at his feet, making him a potentially attractive option for United. However, his lack of Premier League experience could be a dealbreaker for INEOS, who have preferred to sign players proven in the English top flight.
The Peoples Person Reliability Assessment
Overall credibility: 5/10
Why?
✅ TPP has previously covered United’s interest in Jeltsch
⚠️ Fussball News is not a particularly reliable outlet for United news.
TPP view
Jeltsch’s contract puts Stuttgart in a strong negotiating position, so they could demand a big fee for their prized asset. While the German could be an interesting option for United, it might be too soon to suggest that the club would invest such an exorbitant fee in the player.
Featured image by Christian Kaspar-Bartke/Getty Images
1 comment
INEOS, who have preferred to sign players proven in the English top flight. How blind and tunnel visioned is that? It is an amateurist view. The Glazers, Ratcliffe and the Board have not got a clue on football matters. The Club is slowly disintegrating into inconsequential also rans taken over by the Brightons and Brentfords of the Premier League both on and off the pitch.