Man Utd have already been told by Paolo Maldini why they must complete £30m transfer

Manchester United are targeting Fulham’s Antonee Robinson, who has caught the eye of AC Milan legend Paolo Maldini in the past.

The Red Devils splashed £180million on five new faces this summer. Among them were three defenders – Leny Yoro, Matthijs de Ligt and Noussair Mazraoui – though it seems United haven’t quite finished bolstering their backline.

Robinson, who would reportedly be available for around £30m, could be the solution to United’s left-back woes. Luke Shaw was limited to just 12 Premier League outings last term due to injuries, and his understudy, Tyrell Malacia, didn’t kick a ball for the same reason.

Despite rumours last month linking United with Chelsea’s Ben Chilwell, no deal came to fruition. As such, the club appear to have turned their attention to 27-year-old Robinson, and are said to be planning an approach for the January transfer window.

Fulham are keen to hold onto the former Everton and Wigan defender, but it appears they won’t stand in the way of a deal if their valuation is met. Last year, Robinson was linked with a move to Manchester City, and three years before that he came to within a hairsbreadth of joining AC Milan.

Robinson, who was playing Championship football with Wigan at the time, said he didn’t believe his agent after being told Milan wanted to sign him. But when he received a call from the club’s then-technical director Maldini, scepticism quickly turned into unbridled awe.

“The fact it was Maldini, and he was trying to bring me into the club, was a big compliment. He had seen enough of me to say he was excited to work with me and he really believed that I could develop into a good player.”

However, the dream move to Milan fell apart after a heart issue emerged during Robinson’s medical. It would take at least three days to determine the severity of the problem, but because it was Transfer Deadline Day, Milan decided they couldn’t take the risk and pulled the plug on the deal.

A few months later Robinson securing a £2m switch to Fulham, and he’s been a regular in their side ever since. He’s racked up 154 appearances in just over four seasons, and scored three goals for the club.

Robinson has also carved out a spot for himself in the US national team, who are reportedly on the verge of appointing former Chelsea and Tottenham boss Mauricio Pochettino as their new head coach. Despite being born and raised in the UK, Robinson qualifies for the US through his father, who grew up in New York.