According to a report by Metro on October 21, 2026, Manchester United have been told they made a mistake by allowing Victor Lindelof to leave the club on a free transfer, with former Premier League defender Alan Hutton believing the Swedish international could still help Michael Carrick’s side.

Lindelof joined Manchester United from Benfica in 2017 for a fee of just over £30 million under former manager Jose Mourinho. During his eight-year spell at Old Trafford, the defender made 284 appearances, winning the FA Cup and Carabao Cup.

However, the 32-year-old gradually fell down the pecking order under Erik ten Hag and Ruben Amorim before leaving United at the end of the 2024/25 season. Aston Villa subsequently signed him on a free transfer, and he has since established himself as an important member of Unai Emery’s squad.

Lindelof made 28 appearances for Villa last season and has featured in every Premier League match so far this campaign. His consistent performances have prompted questions about whether Manchester United should have retained his services, particularly given their defensive struggles.

Hutton believes Lindelof’s experience could have provided valuable depth for United, even if he was not guaranteed a regular starting position.

“Victor Lindelof is an international player and he had a long spell at Manchester United,” Hutton told FootballPredictions.com.

He added: “They are leaking goals. Would there be opportunities if he stayed? Yeah, probably.”

The former defender acknowledged that Lindelof might not have been a first-choice centre-back at Old Trafford but argued that he could still have played an important role in the squad.

“I still think he’d be in that rotation where he wouldn’t necessarily be your first-choice centre-back, but he would still play games and he could help them along,” Hutton said.

However, Hutton also suggested that moving to Villa was the right decision for Lindelof because the defender has received more regular playing opportunities.

Former Aston Villa striker Gabby Agbonlahor also praised Lindelof’s performances, describing him as a revelation since arriving at the club.

Speaking to talkSPORT, Agbonlahor went further by claiming that Lindelof would currently be Manchester United’s best defender.