Ten Hag ‘intent’ on signing €50m ex-City player as Man Utd ‘hold talks’ with chief transfer target

Lewis Oldham
Ten Hag wants Man Utd signing

Erik ten Hag is reportedly ‘intent’ on Manchester United signing Jeremie Frimpong this summer as the head coach ‘really likes’ the Bayer Leverkusen star.

The right-back had a spell at Man City as an academy player but he made his debut in senior football with Celtic.

The Netherlands U21 international has been with Bayer Leverkusen since 2020 and he has recently established himself as one of the best full-backs in the Bundesliga.

Frimpong has been regularly linked with Man Utd over the past year as they are understood to be in the market for a new right-back.

Diogo Dalot and Aaron Wan-Bissaka have both impressed at times this season. The latter was left on the periphery at the start of this season but he has featured regularly since the World Cup.

Despite this, Manchester Evening News are reporting that United have ‘held talks’ with Frimpong’s representatives ahead of this summer’s transfer window. It has recently been reported that he is valued at €50m.

Ten Hag is ‘intent on recruiting a new right-back as United could sell up to three full-backs this summer’. As for Frimpong, the head coach ‘really likes him’ and is ‘keen’ to sign him.

The Dutchman wants to ‘improve his options at right-back’. Frimpong – who is under contract until 2025 – is ‘calm about his future’ and he is understood to be focused on doing well for Bayer Leverkusen until the summer.

The report adds that Man Utd have ‘provisionally planned for Harry Maguire, Eric Bailly, Alex Telles and Brandon Williams to be sold’ this summer.

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Bailly is currently on loan at Ligue 1 side Marseille. Fabrizio Romano reported on Wednesday morning that the French outfit are not planning to ‘trigger the buy option’ to sign the defender permanently this summer.

‘Olympique Marseille will not trigger the buy option to sign on-loan defender Eric Bailly on a permanent deal — he will return to Manchester United,’ Romano wrote for Caught Offside.

‘I’ve been told Bailly will be available on the market as Man United are prepared to let him go. Marseille had a potential buy option but it will not be triggered because they did not make the last 16 of the Champions League this season.’

The report from Manchester Evening News also states: ‘A striker is United’s priority for the summer, with Tottenham talisman Harry Kane Ten Hag’s preferred target.

‘Ten Hag also wants a younger midfielder amid ongoing interest in Frenkie de Jong and Jude Bellingham, while United are expected to be in the market for a centre half if Victor Lindelof or Harry Maguire leave.’

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