Man Utd Transfer News: Ezequiel Garay's €20million Release Clause Could Be Activated
Abola, Manchester United are preparing to activate the release clause of 26-year-old Benfica defender, Ezequiel Garay. The Argentine centre-back has a release clause of 20 million, a deal which Manchester United are interested in matching. Spanish giants Real Madrid will be handed half of the fee due to a pre-agreement existing from when Garay signed for the Portuguese side from Madrid, in 2011. The defender has been linked with a move to Old Trafford in the past but with Rio Ferdinand coming to the end of his career, it has never been a more crucial time to land a new centre-back. Garay has been a solid defender in the Portuguese Liga, but with the Premier League a much tougher campaign, he may find it difficult adjusting to English football. Benficas number 24 has European experience having been a major part in the sides Europa League campaign. United already have the likes of Rio Ferdinand, Nemanja Vidic, Chris Smalling, Phil Jones and Jonny Evans who can all play at the back but with Ferdinand into his last few seasons at the club and with Phil Jones and Chris Smalling still gaining experience, United would benefit from added stability to their back four. The United target has also started to break into the Argentina national squad having made eight caps in the 2012/13 season. With Manchester United having chosen David Moyes as the successor of retiring manager, Sir Alex Ferguson, the former Everton manager will have his own ideas of what types of players he wishes to acquire.