Manchester United are scouting Ghanaian wonderkid Abdul Fatawu Issahaku, reports Portuguese newspaper O Jogo.
Issahaku, 18, plays for Portuguese club Sporting, the former club of Bruno Fernandes and Cristiano Ronaldo.
O Jogo reports United have been watching the 18-year-old, who has made the breakthrough into Sporting’s first team this season, making six substitute appearances, including two in the Champions League.
Issahaku signed for Sporting in January, beating competition from Liverpool for his signature, Goal reported.
Now it has emerged Manchester United are paying attention to his progress as he begins to take his initial first team steps in Europe.
United’s scouting could continue in Qatar, with Ghana Web reporting he is expected to make the Black Stars 26-man squad.
He already has 13 international caps and one goal for Ghana, making his debut for his country a year ago at just 17.
Issahaku’s expensive release clause
Transfermarkt claims Issahaku has a release clause of £52 million in his contract (60m Euros), which runs until 2026. This is common for players in the Portuguese league.
Issahaku plays as a right winger, and has been a regular for Sporting’s B team before his recent promotion into Ruben Amorim’s first team squad.
His regular presence in Ghana’s international squad would mean gaining a work permit should be straightforward, if a Premier League side made a move to sign him.
With no first team starts to his name yet, no club will be paying his release clause even if he stars at the World Cup, so a move would depend on whether Sporting are prepared to negotiate a lower fee, and at what price.
Manchester United are keen to invest in potential, but an expensive move for Amad will make United wary, with the winger out on loan in the Championship two years after a deal was struck to sign him from Atalanta.
A feature in The Guardian last year described Issahaku as ‘arguably the best African prospect of his generation’.
He still has it all to prove, but it’s little wonder Manchester United have begun scouting him with a view to future transfer windows.
Receive a digest of our best United content each week direct to your mailbox
