Both Manchester Clubs in Mix for £50m Premier League Defender

The race for Brentford’s 21-year-old right-back Michael Kayode has escalated into a three-way Premier League duel, with Manchester United now joining long-time admirers Manchester City and Newcastle United in sustained pursuit of the £50 million-rated defender.

City first placed Kayode on their defensive shortlist in January, positioning him alongside Newcastle’s Tino Livramento as one of “the most exciting young full backs in the division”. United’s entry signals a strategic pivot: senior figures at Old Trafford have accelerated their scouting with Diogo Dalot’s potential summer departure in mind, prioritising a long-term solution over stop-gap cover. Newcastle, still uncertain over Livramento’s future, view Kayode as an equally viable alternative.

Sources close to the player told TeamTalk that interest has “intensified” in recent weeks, a shift from routine monitoring to concrete planning. Brentford, who signed Kayode from Fiorentina for roughly £15 million, now value him “well north of £50 million” and insist they are under no pressure to cash in. That stance is strengthened by continental attention: Real Madrid, Paris Saint-Germain and Bayern Munich have all dispatched scouts to watch him live within the past month.

Despite the spotlight, Kayode is not agitating for a move. Those around him say he is settled under Brentford head coach Keith Andrews and focused on development rather than destination.

For United fans, the link evokes familiar excitement and caution. Kayode’s athletic profile fits a rebuild predicated on youth and upside, yet supporters are wary after recent windows. City followers, by contrast, interpret their club’s interest as a measured endorsement; if Kayode sits behind Livramento on the wish-list, it confirms forward planning rather than urgent need. Either way, both Manchester clubs recognise Brentford have become a reliable proving ground, and Kayode appears ready for the step up. Whether United or City trigger a bid will reveal much about their respective summer strategies.