Abubacarr Sedi Kinteh has been linked to Manchester United. Could a summer move happen?
After the January transfer deadline, The Mail emerged that Manchester United were tracking talented Gambian defender Abubacarr Sedi Kinteh.
Kinteh, 19, plays for Tromso in Norway, where he has earned rave reviews from experts in his country and his coaches.
TV 2 commentator Morten Langli commented: “What pace, what strength he has. He is one of the most talented defenders we have ever seen in Norwegian football.”
Tromso rejected a £4 million offer from Sparta Prague for Kinteh, confident they could land a bigger fee in the future.
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The Norwegian league, the Eliteserien, restarted in March, and Kinteh began the season with an unexpected challenge.
For the first four games, the teenager was left on the bench, playing 10 minutes across two matches, and an unused substitute in the other two. Tromso won all four.
Speaking to NRK, coach Jorgen Vik explained: “There is a lot of competition. It’s not that Kinteh has done badly. He had a good run-up to the season, and played a lot then. There are small margins.”
The young defender was asked about his future, and gave the perfect response.
“I don’t think about that, but about how I can get better in training.”
Kinteh was recalled into the starting line-up in mid-April for Tromso’s game with Lillestrom. They drew the match 0-0, with the youngster putting in a dominant performance.
He had 107 touches in total, making 12 defensive contributions and nine recoveries. He won three of three duels contested.
Kinteh retained his place in the team for the following game, a 1-0 victory. He contributed another towering display, blocking three shots and making seven clearances. He also won 8/10 duels.
In the following game, Kinteh continued with more of the same. He won 9/9 duels in a 3-1 victory over Sandefjord, while making 10 recoveries.
It was the perfect three game spell, before a game to forget…
Tromso were hammed 5-0 at home to Brann, with Kinteh substituted at half-time. They were 3-0 down at the time.
He still won 8/10 duels contested, but this was a game where his side were not at the races at all.
The young centre-back retained his place for their most recent fixture, a 1-1 draw against Start. He was on form, making 21 defensive contributions in an all-action performance. These included 12 clearances and five interceptions.
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Kinteh has top traits that make him intriguing
Manchester United’s top priorities in the transfer window begin with central midfield, where at least two new faces are required.
Everything else depends on the remaining budget, but even then, centre-back is expected to be around the fourth or fifth position in terms of importance.
This is why a cheap deal for Kinteh could actually work. He would likely be available for around £10 million.
At a young age he is already playing first team football, and he is dominating opponents on a regular basis.
He is still a player who is learning, but there are raw qualities there that could tempt Manchester United to bring him on board and continue his football journey at Carrington.
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