Man Utd 'ready to include' Victor Lindelof in stunning swap deal for World Cup winner

Manchester United are reportedly ready to include Victor Lindelof as part of a swap deal to sign a World Cup winner next summer.

Lindelof has recently returned from an injury that saw him miss two months of action, and he played the second half of United's 2-1 win over Aston Villa on Sunday.

United activated a clause which extended the Swede's contract until 2025, in a move that allowed them to protect his value ahead of the defender's original deal expiring this summer.

Lindelof was a regular starter for United between September and December prior to his injury, but with the return of Raphael Varane and the return to form of Harry Maguire, his long-term future at the club is unclear.

And according to a new report, manager Erik ten Hag is willing to allow him to leave - if it means he can bring in another centre-back.

Italian outlet Inter Live claim that one option for United is to include Lindelof as part of a swap deal to sign French World Cup winner Benjamin Pavard.

Pavard, who only signed for Inter Milan from Bayern Munich last summer, is said to be valued at around €40 million - and the Italian giants are not keen to sell him.

The France international, who scored an iconic long-range goal for France against Argentina at the 2018 World Cup, has been a regular starter for Inter in recent months since returning from injury.

United tracked Pavard last summer and were reportedly preparing a bid for the 27-year-old, but it was claimed that the club needed to sell a centre-back before they could purchase another due to Financial Fair Play (FFP) issues.

That was another reason why Ten Hag's side did no business in January, with the Dutchman having to stick with what he has got for the remainder of the campaign.