Manchester United now have a “dark horse” candidate in their quest to sign a new striker, potentially turning to hijack a player who has spoken to Arsenal on multiple occasions this year.
Man Utd want Mbeumo through the door before new striker
It’s been a while since the Red Devils wrapped up the transfer of Matheus Cunha from Wolverhampton Wanderers, and the hope would have been that they had secured a deal for Brentford attacker Bryan Mbeumo by now as well. However, United have been unable to reach an agreement with their fellow Premier League side, seeing one bid already turned down.
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The Red Devils are still looking to replace Onana.
The Cameroon international is still seen as a likely arrival at Old Trafford, but the time it has taken to work on the transfer has probably gone on longer than many at United expected, with Thomas Frank’s arrival at Tottenham complicating matters.
But this week there could finally be some good news for the Premier League side. That is because, according to journalist Rudy Galetti, Man United have agreed personal terms with Mbeumo and are now willing to pay £63 million to get a deal done.
The 25-year-old netted 20 goals in the Premier League last season, and his impending arrival at Old Trafford is expected to see him join Cunha as United’s two new number 10s in Ruben Amorim’s system.
Attention will then turn to finding the right number nine to play in front of the pair, with neither of Rasmus Hojlund or Joshua Zirkzee expected to be the man to lead the line.
Man Utd keen on signing £40m star Ollie Watkins
According to a report from Spain, Man United are considering a move to sign Ollie Watkins from Aston Villa this summer, and he has become the “dark horse” target in their race for a new centre forward.
The Red Devils see Watkins as a ‘reliable alternative’ who may not cost as much as other forwards who have been linked with a move to Old Trafford. He is under contract until 2028, but Villa’s PSR complications will force them to sell at least one key player this summer.
It isn’t a straightforward deal for United to complete however, as it’s already been reported that Arsenal have held talks with Watkins, who has been dubbed “the best striker in the world” by analyst Raj Chohan, both in January and again this summer.
Watkins emerging as a target for United also comes as the Red Devils are working on a deal to sign Hugo Ekitike from Eintracht Frankfurt.
It’s been claimed that United have held talks with the representatives of the Frenchman over a move to Old Trafford, and a formal bid is expected to arrive soon. However, it’s been well publicised that he could cost as much as £85 million, so Watkins is seen as a cheaper option, as he is valued at around £40 million by the Villans.
