Transfer gossip: Man Utd track Ferguson and Denmark hat-trick hero as Mitrovic f***s audition

Manchester United are looking at a couple of young strikers ahead of the summer transfer window, but were also keen on an oldie before he went bonkers at Old Trafford.

FERGIE TIME
Manchester United are predictably in the hunt for Brighton teenager Evan Ferguson, and will look to lure him away from the Amex this summer.

Sources have told Football Insider that United have sent scouts to watch Ferguson on multiple occasions this term, with the 18-year-old impressing for Roberto de Zerbi’s side.

The striker signed his first professional contract with Brighton on his 18th birthday in October, putting pen to paper on a four-year contract.

But the report claims Brighton are preparing for ‘major interest’ in Ferguson in the upcoming window.

Ferguson – who’s been described as a “freak” by fellow academy graduate Andrew Moran – earned his first start for the Republic of Ireland on Wednesday, scoring in the 3-2 win over Latvia.

READ MORE: Will excellent Evan be the next Ferguson to thrive at Man Utd? Not so fast, young man

OH NO, MITRO
At the other end of the experience spectrum is Aleksandar Mitrovic, whom Manchester United are also interested in. Or at least they were until he went a bit mad in his FA Cup audition.

Mitrovic put the visitors ahead at Old Trafford before he was shown a red card for shoving referee Chris Kavanagh, which looks set to keep him out for the rest of the season.

The Daily Star reckon that moment of madness has now put off Erik ten Hag, who was very much interested in securing the Serbian’s services in the summer.

The report claims the 28-year-old was also on the radar of Chelsea, Tottenham and Barcelona, who have all now also been put off. Oh, Mitro.

A’HOY-LUND
But United have spread the striker net wide, and are looking at Atalanta striker Rasmus Hojlund as another potential option.

Ekstra Bladet (via Sport Witness) report that United aren’t half interested. Their interest in the 20-year-old striker with ‘the killer instinct’ is ‘concrete’.

Hojlund only moved to Atalanta from Sturm Graz in the summer, for £16m, but has caught the eye with his displays for the Serie A side, for whom he has eight goals to his name so far this season.

The report claims he will be ‘in demand’ this summer, particularly if he continues to impress for Denmark as well as his club side. He scored a hat-trick in the 3-1 European qualification win over Finland last week.

Bids are expected to be in the region of £30m for Hojlund, who ‘must consider’ such an offer should it arrive from United, who are one of the sides who ‘flirt’ with him.

Hojlund admitted back in January that he is a fan of the Red Devils.

“Now that you ask, I will not hide the fact that I am a huge Manchester United fan,” he said at the time.

“So personally, it would be one of the biggest things for me, but of course that doesn’t mean that I would turn down other big clubs if the offers come at some point.”