According to Teamtalk, Manchester United is planning to trigger a 12-month extension in Victor Lindelof’s contract, potentially securing a substantial pay rise for the 29-year-old defender. Lindelof has been part of Manchester United since his £31 million transfer from Benfica six years ago, amassing 241 appearances for the club during this time.

Two years after his arrival, Lindelof signed a Contract Extension, but he lost his starting position to Raphael Varane and Lisandro Martinez, who became the preferred defensive pairing under manager Erik ten Hag. However, following injuries to Varane and Martinez, Lindelof was offered an opportunity to return to the first team and delivered strong performances at the end of the previous season.

This season, Lindelof has been deployed in various defensive positions to aid the team during the injury crisis. While there was an opportunity to offload the Sweden international before the September 1 summer transfer deadline, Manchester United prioritized the sale of Harry Maguire, who had fallen out of favor under Ten Hag.

Lindelof’s current £120,000-per-week contract is set to expire in eight months, but Manchester United holds the option to extend it for an additional year until 2025. The extension, which Teamtalk reports is in the works, is also expected to include a significant salary increase to approximately £140,000 per week.

However, this extension may not signal a long-term stay for the 29-year-old but rather a strategy for Manchester United to secure a higher transfer fee when they eventually decide to sell Lindelof during the 2024 summer transfer window.

As things stand, Lindelof would be free to engage with other clubs in January for a potential summer transfer. Inter Milan has previously expressed interest in the defender, and AC Milan is also reportedly keen on him.

AC Milan’s initial plan was to sign Lindelof as a free agent. However, in the event of a contract extension at Old Trafford, AC Milan is confident they can secure Lindelof for €15 million. This approach is part of their preparations for the departure of veteran center-back Simon Kjaer, whose contract is set to expire next summer. AC Milan manager Stefano Pioli is already searching for a suitable replacement, and Lindelof’s attributes, such as ball-playing skills and leadership, make him a strong candidate.