Former Newcastle United defender sold by Rafa Benitez ‘close’ to shock move to Manchester United

A former Newcastle United defender is closing on a move to Manchester United.

Former Newcastle United defender Kevin Mbabu is said to be close to joining Manchester United after struggling to make an impact following a summer move to Fulham.

The Swiss international moved to Tyneside from Servette in January 2013 after impressing during a trial period with the Magpies. He made a senior debut as a substitute in a 1-0 home defeat in a Capital One Cup tie against Sheffield Wednesday just under two years. A Premier League bow followed with a start in a 2-2 draw with Chelsea just days later but the talented full-back just three more senior appearances before departing to join Young Boys on an initial loan deal in August 2016.

During a 2021 interview with The Athletic, he reminisced on his time on Tyneside, describing his resolve to prove the Magpies wrong for letting him depart when he had shown so much promise.

“I got an offer from Young Boys and I didn’t want to go back to Switzerland, but then I thought, ‘OK, go back, get back on track,'” he explained. Take a step back, but maybe you’ll be rewarded for it one day. “I simply did it.” When I left Newcastle, I told myself, ‘I’m going to prove them all wrong, to show them it was a mistake to let me leave’. That’s what I’ve been attempting all along.”

After a two-year spell in his country, Mbabu earned a move to Bundesliga club Wolfsburg and his form in Germany eventually led to interest from several clubs that were reportedly keen to bring the full-back back to the Premier League. There were suggestions Manchester United were ready to make a move but it was Fulham that secured the 27-year-old when they agreed to a £6.4m deal with Wolfsburg ahead of their return to English football’s top tier last summer.