One deal which may slipped up the radar on transfer deadline day was Brighton’s move for Abdallah Sima.
Brighton have signed Sima on a four-year deal from Slavia Prague, and has been sent out on loan to Stoke City.
This catches our attention because Sima was touted for a Manchester United transfer by The MEN at the start of the summer.
The paper wrote: “United’s interest in Sima is part of a new recruitment strategy in targeting the highest-rated teenagers around the world.”
Sima, now 20, scored 19 goals and provided six assists for Slavia Prague last season as they reached the Europa League quarter-finals.
High potential but no room
Undoubtedly Sima is a promising talent, but he plays in an area where Manchester United are now overloaded.
He is a right-sided winger also able to play as a striker and United had no room for him, even before Cristiano Ronaldo’s arrival.
The defeat in the Europa League final strengthened United’s resolve to win trophies next season and the move for Cristiano Ronaldo embodies that desire.
Sima is a player United may well continue to track in the years ahead, but he only would have been considered as a back-up plan in case the deal for Jadon Sancho fell through.
The Athletic report Brighton have paid just around £7 million for the youngster, a very low fee which no doubt would have been more if United were involved.
It is a smart investment from the Seagulls who one day may able to sell the Senegalese talent on for a far higher fee.
A year ago this would have been the type of deal United would have gambled on, but those investments were made last summer with Amad and Facundo Pellistri.
Now United have to allow the pair to develop and not crowd them further, and that means passing up high potential talents like Sima.
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