Man Utd’s ‘shock’ €65m transfer move isn’t really a surprise at all

Robin Bairner

• 20 Mar 2026 10:30 CDT
• 4 min read

News

Manchester United’s focus on the summer transfer window has largely surrounded the recruitment of a new central midfielder, but the Red Devils have also want to sign a centre-back and have a “shock” new target in their sights.

Brentford captain Nathan Collins is a player of interest to Man Utd, with the 24-year-old former Stoke and Burnley man having impressed greatly this season.

According to TeamTalk, United also face competition from Chelsea, Liverpool and Tottenham, who are all monitoring the Ireland international.

Nathan Collins: A ‘shock’ target that’s not really a shock

While Collins is not one of the Premier League’s most hailed defenders, he has the qualities to succeed at the highest level, which is exactly where Jason Wilcox, Man Utd’s sporting director, believes the rapid central defender can play.

Obviously, his speed is a major asset, but there is far more to the Leixlip-born star’s game than this: he’s strong in the air, wins a terrific amount of ball in his own box and is an expert shot blocker.

Collins is also pinpointed by data analytics firm SciSports as being excellent when it comes to stalling counterattacks, which is an important quality in the modern game, so much of which is played in transition.

Indeed, SciSports even indicates that Collins is better than any other centre-back on Man Utd’s books currently. He has a higher SciSkill – a score given to players based on hundreds of in-game statistics – than the likes of Matthijs de Ligt, Lisandro Martinez, Leny Yoro and harry Maguire. Only Yoro has a higher potential ceiling.

The experts believe that Collins even has what it takes to become a key player at United in the future.

Collins to Man Utd a deal that fits

Beyond Collins possessing the qualities to become a Manchester United player, how does his profile fit into the club’s transfer policy?

Very well on the whole.

He checks a big box in terms of Premier League experience, which mirrors that of Bryan Mbeumo and Matheus Cunha – United’s two most successful recruits from last term.

Indeed, if this deal is struck, he will follow Mbeumo from Brentford to Man Utd. This history suggests this is the type of move that the Red Devils will be pursuing.

Both Mbeumo and Cunha were a little older than Collins, yet at 24 he has shown he has excellent leadership skills by graduating to become Brentford’s captain. Maturity and mentality, then, are not a problem.

Brentford’s asking price a problem?

The biggest stumbling block in the deal could be Brentford’s lavish asking price. The Bees reportedly want a little short of €65 million (£55m) for their captain.

Collins’ Estimated Transfer Value (ETV) lies at €30.2m, so the Bees want double this figure.

United did go over the odds to sign Mbeumo last summer, spending €75m on a player with an ETV of €58m, yet the difference there was not as dramatic as the one they are currently facing.

It remains to be seen if they will be emboldened by the success of their move for the Cameroon ace and do a deal here or if they will be put off by the Bees’ lavish proposal.

There is no doubt, though, that Collins is ready for the step up, and when it arrives, it shouldn’t come as a shock.

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