Manchester United are pushing ahead with moves for new signings and midfielders appear to be the absolute priority.
The new Premier League season is just over a week away and Manchester United will be kicking off the new campaign.
Fulham will visit Old Trafford to start the new season and Erik ten Hag may hope to have some new additions in before that game.
Joshua Zirkzee and Leny Yoro have signed this summer but it currently looks like neither player will start against Fulham.
Zirkzee has yet to feature in pre-season due to his time at Euro 2024 and Yoro is now out injured for three months.
That is far from ideal for Ten Hag and United will hope for progress on potential signings over the next week.
Manchester United move for Youssouf Fofana
A midfielder is a top priority but reports suggest that United have backed away from Manuel Ugarte.
Paris Saint-Germain’s asking price just isn’t budging and United are looking at other targets.
The Telegraph claim that Burnley’s Sander Berge, Real Sociedad’s Martin Zubimendi and Palmeiras star Richard Rios are on the wish list.
Sofyan Amrabat’s return remains a possibility too, whilst the report suggested that United have ‘one or two other as yet unnamed candidates’ for the midfield role.
Sky Sports now claim that United have held ‘initial talks’ with Monaco over a deal to sign midfielder Youssouf Fofana.
It’s stated that United have ‘explored the conditions’ of a deal for Fofana, who is out of contract in 2025.
Monaco appear willing to cash in and Fofana would come at a mere fraction of Ugarte’s price tag.
Sky Germany’s Florian Plettenberg adds that United presented a proposal to Fofana around two or three weeks ago.
No official offer is on Monaco’s table just yet but United may need to be quick.
Plettenberg notes that Fofana has a ‘verbal agreement’ with AC Milan, so United will need to get a fee agreed with Monaco in rapid fashion.
United actually looked into signing Fofana last summer but ended up signing Amrabat instead.
Fast forward a year and United are now pushing to land the French international once again.
- READ MORE: Manchester United confirmed signings, transfers in, out, loan exits, releases for 2024/25
Scott McTominay latest
Sky Sports add that Fulham are set to back away from a move for Scott McTominay.
Fulham have already had two bids rejected with their latest offer totalling around £20million – and Ten Hag was happy with the snub.
Marco Silva’s men are ready to give up though and are back to focusing on Fluminense midfielder Andre.
That means McTominay may end up staying at United after all, which should be a boost for Ten Hag.
The cash may have been welcomed, especially with McTominay counting as pure profit as a homegrown player.
Yet with United hardly blessed with midfield options right now, McTominay may be in line for an important role – especially as deals for the likes of Fofana and Ugarte don’t appear absolutely imminent.
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