Cher Ndour has reportedly hold Benfica he will leave on a free transfer this summer with Premier League giants Manchester United one potential destination for the so-called ‘next Paul Pogba’.
The prolific Goncalo Ramos is not the only Benfica star on Erik ten Hag’s radar.
Cher Ndour, an elegant 18-year-old midfielder whose rangy frame, swaggering stride and ball-carrying prowess have drawn comparisons with former Old Trafford ace Pogba, will become a free-agent in just three weeks’ time.
Ndour, The Mirror claimed in December, is ‘open’ to joining Manchester United.
And after growing frustrated with a lack of first-team opportunities at Benfica, the 6ft 3ins playmaker has – according to Mais Futebol – ‘informed’ the Portuguese giants that he will not be extending his current deal and will leave at the end of June.
Cher Ndour now plans to leave Benfica
Ndour, who moved to Lisbon from Atalanta, played just one minute of league football in 2022/23.
Of course, senior minutes will not be easy to come by at Old Trafford either. Ndour may be intrigued by the prospect of honing his talents under coach in Ten Hag who has such an excellent track record when it comes to helping young players reach hitherto unexpected heights.
Ndour shares many attributes with one Ryan Gravenberch, who’s outstanding performances alongside the Dutchman at Ajax earned him a £21 million move to Bayern Munich last summer. He scored four goals and set up one more for Benfica’s B team in 2022/23.
The Sun add that United may face competition from Paris Saint-Germain, Juventus, AC Milan and local neighbours Manchester City.
The chance to join Pogba in Turin is one that will undoubtedly appeal to Ndour; his idol leaving Manchester United for the Serie A giants around 12 months ago.
“(My idol is) Pogba,” Ndour told Tuttosport in September. “I hope to see him back on the pitch soon, players like that are good for football.
“Would I like to return to Italy one day? Sure, but I also really like La Liga and the Premier League. Before returning to my country, I would like to continue my growth path and play in foreign tournaments.”
Ndour is not the only exciting young midfielder on Man United’s radar.
The director of Swedish outfit Mjalby AIF admits that the Red Devils are keeping tabs on Otto Rosengren; much to the 20-year-old’s delight.
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