The hunt is on. Manchester United are quietly circling Oumar Solet—25, French, and rising. A towering 6ft 3in centre-back with a surgeon’s poise and a warrior’s frame. Once Salzburg’s anchor. Now Udinese’s revelation. Soon, maybe, a Premier League powerhouse.
Solet left Red Bull Salzburg on a free in January. Just ten games into his Serie A journey, he’s already turned heads with five clean sheets and one assist.
United watched. And they moved. Sources suggest the club have ‘tested the waters’, floating an offer around £25 million plus bonuses. Udinese? Open. They’ll sell—if the price is right.
But they’re not alone. West Ham, always hungry under Graham Potter, have made inquiries too. Solet fits their needs: ball-playing, bruising, and bred for the English game. The kind of defender who reads danger before it arrives.
The clock ticks faster at Old Trafford. Lindelöf. Evans. Likely out. Maguire? Contract till 2026, but questions remain. And Martínez—United’s heartbeat in defence—has suffered another cruel knee blow.
Last summer’s reinforcements were meant to steady the ship. But the sea is rarely still in Manchester.
Solet offers what they lack: calm in chaos. He’s not flashy. He doesn’t need to be. He just defends.
There’s history here. In 2019, Solet captained France U19. Injuries came. Critics doubted. He rose again. Salzburg believed. Now Udinese are watching him grow too fast to keep.
Manchester United know a redemption arc when they see one.
And if they want him, they must act before West Ham do.
There’s no time to wait.