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Manchester United recorded their first clean sheet of the season with a 4-0 victory over Sabah in the Champions League on Thursday, 10 September, at Old Trafford. The Red Devils’ defensive problems have been exposed in the Premier League this season, with the side conceding two goals in each of their first three matches.

The English club chose not to strengthen their defence during the summer window, but they may need to revisit that area in 2027. Harry Maguire is already the wrong side of 30, while Matthijs de Ligt has been out for around nine months because of a back injury.

Lisandro Martinez has now entered the final year of his contract, and his fitness issues have been widely noted. A recent report carried by The Peoples Person said United are monitoring VfB Stuttgart defender Finn Jeltsch to help solve that problem. There has now been a fresh update on the situation.

According to TuttoJuve, Juventus have intensified their interest in Jeltsch. The report says: “One of the names to have caught Juventus’s attention is reportedly Finn Jeltsch, a young centre-back at Stuttgart; the German centre-back is said to be being tracked by numerous major European clubs, including Juventus.”

“The competition is, however, fierce: Arsenal, Manchester United, Liverpool and Bayern Munich are all said to have set their sights on the player.”

The same report stresses that there have not yet been any negotiations for the German defender, adding: “For Juventus, this would, at least for the moment, mainly involve keeping an eye on the player; there are no reports of advanced negotiations, nor are there any indications that an offer has already been made to Stuttgart.”

Jeltsch came through the ranks at FC Nurnberg before joining Stuttgart in the summer of 2025. The 20-year-old has since established himself as a regular in the first team for Die Roten, and he remains under contract until 2030.

As the player’s reputation continues to rise, Stuttgart have no intention of letting him go easily and are expected to ask for a major fee for his signature. The report adds: “The market value quoted by the leading specialist platforms had already reached around 35 million by the spring of 2026, a sign of the defender’s rapid rise.”

A winter move appears unlikely, and the report further states that Stuttgart would part with the player only if they receive a very large offer: “The possibility of a transfer during the winter transfer window exists only on paper; it would probably take a very substantial offer to persuade Stuttgart to change their plans.”

“Above all, Juventus would have to compete with Premier League clubs capable of making extremely high investments. Bayern, on the other hand, represent the main threat within the Bundesliga. A move this January therefore seems unlikely, whilst a potential scenario for the summer might be more realistic.”

Jeltsch’s composure on the ball and his ability to build play from the back make him an attractive option for United. Last season, the German made 37 appearances in all competitions, including 28 starts.

Early indications suggest United will need to think about defensive reinforcements in 2027, so keeping tabs on emerging talents such as Jeltsch makes sense. However, INEOS may need to brace themselves for a bidding war for the German next year.

The Peoples Person Reliability Assessment Overall credibility: 6/10 Why?

✅ TuttoJuve is a credible outlet for Juventus news. ✅ INEOS expected to focus on the backline in 2027. ⚠️ United likely to prefer players with Premier League experience.