Manchester United are not about to miss out on Marcos Leonardo just yet, with Fabrizio Romano rubbishing claims that the Santos striker is joining Premier League rivals Arsenal in January.
When Santos were relegated for the first time in their 111-year history last week, it was tempting to view that as the final nail in the club’s hopes of retaining the services of one of Brazil’s up-and-coming Selecao superstars.
Marcos Leonardo has already been linked with a host of European giants, Manchester United among them. But, as far as Romano is aware, the decision had been made to say farewell long before the club who gave us Pele, Neymar and Robinho were condemned to life in the second tier.
Manchester United like Marcos Leonardo
“Marcos Leonardo will leave Santos in 2024 for sure. There’s no doubt and it’s not even about the club’s recent relegation,” Romano writes in his Caught Offside column.
“They already decided that months ago.”
United have shown an interest in the £25 million-rated striker, per The Sun and Gazzetta dello Sport. Leonardo scored 21 times for Santos in all competitions in 2023, a tally which looks all the more impressive when you consider how a dreadful campaign ended for the club as a whole.
Reports linking the Brazil U20 international with Arsenal have emerged of late too. But Romano insists that, as things stand, Leonardo is not yet close to putting pen to paper with The Gunners or any of his other suitors.
“There are many links. Every week, Leonardo is linked with five or six clubs. But it’s still at the early stages with agents meeting clubs,” Romano adds.
“There’s nothing concrete or close with Arsenal so far, despite speculation.”
Arsenal also linked with Brazilian sensation
Man United have scored a pretty tragic 18 goals in 16 Premier League games so far this term. Rasmus Hojlund is yet to open his account. Marcus Rashford, meanwhile, remains a shadow of the player who was going blow-to-blow with Kylian Mbappe and co around the turn of the year.
Leonardo, meanwhile, has been likened for his lethal finishing and wily movement to a striker who scored goals by the bucketload on the blue side of Manchester, one Sergio Aguero.
“There is a kind of (Sergio) Aguero-type striker there,” South American expert Tim Vickery tells talkSPORT.
“(Leonardo) is not particularly tall but comes alive in the penalty box. And I think there is talent there as well. He has got that ability in tight spaces. That kind of Aguero or Romario-type ability.”
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