Man Utd want to sign heir to Mario Mandzukic in late push to sign a new striker
Man Utd are looking to compete with Tottenham and Fiorentina for the signing of Freiburg striker Igor Matanovic, according to reports.
The Red Devils have completed the signings of three midfielders in the form of Carlos Baleba, Youri Tielemans and Andrey Santos, while Karl Darlow and Tynan Thompson have also joined.
Man Utd are still looking to bring in more signings before the transfer window shuts with a left-back, left-winger and striker all rumoured to be possibilities.
A new left-back does seem the most likely signing as things stand with rumours of interest in Barcelona left-back Alejandro Balde confirmed by several reliable journalists.
Ben Jacobs said on Wednesday that Man Utd will also be “alert” to signing a new striker if Joshua Zirkzee finds a new home in the summer market, with a number of Italian clubs reportedly interested in his services.
Jacobs told Betway Insider: “A left-back seems to be the priority. They’ll be alert also to a No. 9, and if Joshua Zirkzee goes, that also becomes more pressing in the final hours or days of the window, and yet, if Manchester United can’t reinforce, then they obviously have the ability not to sanction a move.
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“And at left-back, we need to keep a close eye to see whether anything is possible in these final days of the window. Alejandro Balde has been offered around, and my understanding is that Barcelona would be prepared to sanction an exit at about €45 million.
“Manchester United may be more inclined, though, to do a loan, and part of that is to give themselves freedom in 2027 if they want to make an assault on their top target, Lewis Hall.
“Hall is not thought to be available this late in the window, so Manchester United have to understand whether it’s better to sign a left-back now, or to find somebody that’s more of a stopgap, and then to go for their ultimate lead target in Lewis Hall next year.
“But Balde is one possibility. I’m just told if Manchester United move, they would prefer to have a loan and potentially an option to buy, as opposed to an outright sale. That could still be one to watch between now and the end of the window.
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“Nothing has advanced, though, and they’ve been offered Jorge Salinas and David Raum as another option left back.”
Will Man Utd sign a new striker?
And now Thursday’s print edition of Gazzetta dello Sport (via Sport Witness) has revealed that Man Utd and Spurs are looking to sign Freiburg striker Matanovic before the transfer deadline on September 1.
23-year-old Matanovic scored 11 Bundesliga goals last term and also attracting interest from Serie A side Fiorentina, who are looking for a replacement for Como-bound Moise Kean.
Interest from Man Utd and Tottenham is ‘likely to cause problems’ though and a deal for the ‘heir to Mario Mandzukic’ in Croatian football is understood to be ‘difficult but not impossible’.
Fiorentina and Juventus have both made contact over a potential move for Zirkzee and that could make way for Man Utd to move in for Matanovic.
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