Newcastle United have money to burn this summer after receiving £100m for Sandro Tonali, with the replacement eyed also a player Manchester United should be looking at.
It is back to the drawing board for Manchester United this summer, with two midfield targets off the market, and the price of alternatives also on the rise.
Tottenham first signed Mateus Fernandes for £85m, a figure which United were never going to match, offering him £250,000-a-week wages to sweeten the deal, £100,000 more per week than Ineos were offering.
Then Spurs also signed Sandro Tonali for £100m, thus giving Newcastle the funds to go and spend big on a replacement. They’re linked to Johan Manzambi of Switzerland, but United shouldn’t be quick to let him move to the North East.
Which World Cup talent do you want Man United to target this summer?⚡️
Some real standout performers already, but have any convinced you that they should be United targets?
Manchester United should hijack Johan Manzambi transfer
It has come according to Craig Hope, who is Newcastle’s reporter from the Daily Mail, talks are ongoing for the St. James’ Park outfit to sign Manzambi this summer.
The 20-year-old would cost around a reported £47m, which might end up being viewed as excellent value for money in a couple of years.
But there will be one concern for Newcastle.
This concern isn’t to do with the player, but rather whether they can get it over the line before a bigger club steps in to try and steal him from their clutches, with United one club perfect for the Swiss star.
Newcastle have been linked with signing some excellent players over the past few years, Benjamin Sesko, Hugo Ekitike, Bryan Mbeumo, and Matheus Cunha, to name a few, but often they find themselves caught in the food chain by a United or a Liverpool.
Given Manzambi’s World Cup performances have been so impressive, there is no guarantee that more interest from bigger clubs will arrive.
Bastian Schweinsteiger has hailed Manzambi already, with the midfielder scoring three and assisting two already in four World Cup games, while playing further up the pitch, almost a striker at times.
In a way, it is almost a negative that Switzerland beat Algeria and progressed to the last 16 on Friday morning, because it gives him a chance to further his stock with Switzerland likely to fancy themselves against Ghana or Colombia in the next round, before a quarter-final against Argentina.
But if United are struggling to settle on a midfielder, Manzambi’s versatility, confidence, power, and brilliance should be tempting Ineos to make a move and nab the Freiburg star from Newcastle. This is repeating what happened three times last summer.
Manzambi is Tonali’s replacement and looks set to absolutely explode next season. United should be all over this deal.
Which transfer targets do you NOT want Man Utd to sign?
Let's turn the transfer question on it's head, and give Jason Wilcox some advice…
Is Johan Manzambi a midfielder or a forward?
Manzambi is one of the hottest midfield prospects in world football, with his step up to a big side almost guaranteed.
But his breakout this summer at the World Cup is coming further up the pitch, playing with the number nine on his back in the attacking midfield role, pushing into the forward line.
In the competition, Manzambi has played once in midfield, once on the right wing, and twice as an attacking midfielder.
- Manzambi vs Qatar – midfield
- Manzambi vs Bosnia – right-wing (two goals in 19 minutes)
- Manzambi vs Canada – attacking midfield (one goal, one assist)
- Manzambi vs Algeria – attacking midfield (one assist)
He is capable of playing practically anywhere on the pitch, due to how versatile and well-rounded he is, but if United signs him this summer, then it would probably be either as a midfielder or a rotation option for Bruno Fernandes.
So for those wondering which position he plays, the answer is, anywhere, including striker. But long-term, he is destined to become an all-action midfielder.
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