Manchester United to steer clear of four-time Champions League winner

Thursday afternoon will see Manchester United take on Sabah, as they make their return to the Champions League following a hiatus from the competition due to missing out on qualification in the Premier League table. The summer saw the Red Devils invest heavily in their squad for their European nights, whether it was the capture of Andrey Santos from Chelsea or Youri Tielemans from defending Europa League winners, Aston Villa.

But one area of the pitch that was left a bit bare amid the other moves was the left-back, with Luke Shaw being the only natural fit, and with his fitness issues in the past, it's a potential weak spot United's board can't look over in the months to come. It's worth noting that the United brass are aware of it, as they reportedly went to their cross-town rivals, Manchester City, for a last-second move for Rayan Ait-Nouri.

However, there was one option that wouldn't cost the Red Devils any money upfront in the form of a fee: David Alaba. The Austrian defender is currently a free agent following a five-season stay with Real Madrid, but a move to Old Trafford is apparently not on the cards.

United aren't interested in Alaba

As reported by Turkish journalist Ekrem Konur, Manchester United aren't looking at the prospect of adding Alaba to their ranks, with the main deal-breaker being his age, as the English side wants to gear towards younger players.

Last season saw Alaba fail to get significant playing time in the Spanish capital, making 16 appearances in which he recorded five won tackles.

So it appears that Manchester United will look elsewhere for some cover in their defensive line, something that will be important if they want to lower their 50 allowed goals from the prior campaign.

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