Why Haidara is likely to be Rangnick's first signing at Man Utd
Stefan Bienkowski
- 30 Nov 2021 16:09 GMT
- 8 min read
With Ralf Rangnick now confirmed as Manchester United’s manager for the remainder of the season, fans of the club will now turn their attention to the January transfer window.
Alongside being known as a tactical wizard, Rangnick also has a reputation for plucking the stars of tomorrow from around Europe’s top leagues.
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As such, Man Utd fans will be expecting the club to put Rangnick’s wider knowledge of the European game to good use in January.
And in many ways, that will most likely see the club’s first signing under their new manager be none other than RB Leipzig midfielder Amadou Haidara.
He’s always wanted to play for Man Utd
While players often wait until they’ve joined a club before confirming their allegiances, Haidara has in fact stated in the past that he does support Man Utd and is working towards a move to the club one day.
In an interview with Sport-Bild in 2019, the Mali international stated that he was indeed a fan of the Old Trafford side and would love to play for the club.
“My dream club is Manchester United,” said Haidara in an interview with the German newspapers. “I will fight with all my strength to one day play for that club.”
He would happily follow Rangnick to England
Another factor that will likely sway Haidara towards a move to Man Utd is that he undoubtedly trusts Rangnick’s word, having made the move to his two previous clubs off the back of the German tactician’s advice.
The box-to-box midfielder made the move from Mali to Red Bull Salzburg while Rangnick was in charge of the club’s parent company and then moved on to RB Leipzig while the German manager was in charge of the first team.
As such, it seems more than likely that Haidara would be perfectly comfortable once again putting his career in Rangnick’s hands with a move to Manchester.
He’s perfectly obtainable in January
What may make Haidara Rangnick’s most likely first signing in January above all else is the fact that he has a set asking price that Man Utd could quite easily trigger.
While the RB Leipzig midfielder is currently valued at €40 million and would expect to go for more, a reported release clause in his contract at the Bundesliga side suggests that he could be Man Utd’s for exactly that price.
As such, if Man Utd are in a rush to nail down midfielder reinforcements that know how to perform under their new manager, Haidara is a quick and effortless signings if the club are prepared to pay that price.
