Man Utd, Chelsea & Liverpool battling to sign AC Milan centre-back Koni De Winter

Liverpool, Man Utd and Chelsea are battling to sign AC Milan centre-back Koni De Winter, according to CaughtOffside.

The 24-year-old, valued at £20m by Transfermarkt, has been one of the most consistent defenders in Serie A in recent seasons, and unsurprisingly so, having spent a significant part of his formative years in Italy.

He first moved to Juventus Academy from Zulte Waregem in 2018 and, before going through the ranks, including the U17, U19, U23 and the Juventus Next Gen, where he played alongside AS Roma’s Matías Soulé, Fiorentina’s Nicolò Fagioli, Tottenham Hotspur’s Radu Drăgușin, Aston Villa’s Samuel Iling-Junior and Benfica’s Enzo Barrenechea.

After spells with Empoli and Genoa, he signed for Milan on a permanent transfer in the summer of 2025 and has since established himself as one of the best young centre-back prospects.

In the ongoing campaign, he has been a regular starter under Ruben Amorim and has featured in all ten Serie A and four Europa League games, with his performances now catching the eye of several clubs.

Now, according to CaughtOffside, Liverpool, Man Utd and Chelsea have all expressed interest in signing De Winter from Milan.

Citing the Daily Briefing, the report adds that the 6ft 3in centre-back is enjoying a meteoric rise with the Rossoneri, and scouts from Premier League clubs have been watching him in recent games.

Battle

Particularly, United and Chelsea are keen to sign a new defender, having also watched Como’s Jacobo Ramon, with De Winter now emerging as their latest target, according to the report.

However, the Premier League trio are set to face fierce competition from Premier League rivals; Newcastle United, Tottenham Hotspur, Leeds United and Brentford are also keeping tabs on the eight-cap Belgian international, CaughtOffside adds.

At Liverpool, Virgil van Dijk faces an uncertain future, with his contract set to expire next summer. Should the Dutchman leave Anfield, the Reds could step up their pursuit of defensive reinforcements.

Chelsea have also struggled defensively this season, although their problems appear to stem more from a lack of structure and balance than a shortage of quality players.

United, meanwhile, could offer De Winter an attractive destination, particularly with Lisandro Martinez reportedly facing an uncertain future following his recent outburst and inconsistent displays.

The Red Devils should therefore consider moving ahead of their rivals in the race for De Winter, as the youngster could strengthen their defence immediately while offering considerable future potential.