Former Manchester United defender Rio Ferdinand has backed the Premier League side to beat Real Madrid to a deal for Leny Yoro.
United and the LaLiga champions have both been linked with the Lille defender.
Despite only turning 18 in November, Yoro is already valued at around £50 million after enjoying a breakout season for the French side.
Yoro played in 32 Ligue 1 games last season and helped Bruno Genesio’s side finish fourth and make the Champions League qualifiers.
Ferdinand said on his YouTube channel: “They’ve got to get a fit Luke Shaw and Lisandro Martinez back and playing more regularly next season. Get them two fit and then you need to buy another centre-back, definitely.
“Do we go for experience or a young one? Leny Yoro is the young lad from France, Lille. I think he’s top, he has huge potential and could be anything.
“I don’t think Real Madrid are going to be in the market for a centre-back so I think he’s there ready to be taken and I would take him now. You would get a good five or ten years out of him.”