EXCLUSIVE: Man Utd target Todibo remains top priority but Ten Hag faces Amrabat problem

Jacque Talbot

• Updated: 25 Aug 2023 13:58 BST
• 4 min read

Exclusive

Manchester United continue to see Nice defender Jean-Clair Todibo as their leading target before the end of the transfer window, but no move for the defender is close, FootballTransfers has learned.

Any deal for Todibo is dependent on Man Utd selling players, so manager Erik ten Hag finds himself in a similar bind to the one that has prevented him from landing Sofyan Amrabat from Fiorentina.

The club are still open to the sales of Scott McTominay and Harry Maguire amid interest from West Ham, while Dean Henderson is also looking for an exit. As revealed, challenges faced the club shifting Maguire to the Hammers earlier this window, but there is a chance he is still moved on.

More likely to leave, though, is McTominay, who is linked with a possible move to the London Stadium once again. Ten Hag remains pushing for both their exits in order to bring in some of his targets and remains frustrated that the deal with West Ham for the two players earlier this month didn’t materialise.

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Henderson is liked by Crystal Palace and Nottingham Forest, but we are told that there is another unnamed Premier League club who hold an interest in the goalkeeper. Altay Bayindir is expected to come in as his replacement.

Donny van de Beek looks set to stay at this point, too. But there is a small chance that, if all or some of these players are shipped on, Man Utd would be able to recoup some money and bring in the likes of Todibo or Benjamin Pavard, both of whom Ten Hag likes.

It’s our understanding that Sofyan Amrabat remains the manager’s prime target for midfield, and the only reason that the club have not moved for him is because of their lack of funds this window.

Ten Hag was given around £150 million in budget ahead of the window but all that is near enough gone following the signings of Mason Mount, Rasmus Hojlund, and Andre Onana.

The purchase of Hojlund in particular stretched what the club could spend, and it meant that even with the sales of Fred and Anthony Elanga, the side have nothing left for the window.

The sale of Henderson is thought to be the most advanced at this stage, and though the preference would be a bidding war, given that the window is over in less than a week, Man Utd are happy to conclude a deal as soon as possible.

The injury of Luke Shaw means that Man Utd may have to rethink any further defence recruitments they make - Tyrell Malacia can provide cover but Ten Hag will also be weighing up his options on the left side of defence as well.

Erik ten Hag’s midfield targets

Ryan Gravenberch remains liked and a loan from Bayern Munich would favour Man Utd this point. But the coach's hope remains Amrabat, who is expected to leave Fiorentina this window, with just one year left on his deal.

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Todibo, meanwhile, would take some £35m to bring Nice to the table, we are told. We understand that the Frenchman is open to a move and personal terms would not be a problem, but Man Utd would need to sell Maguire to make any deal possible.

As reported by FootballTransfers before, Ten Hag wanted another striker for this window, but it’s almost certain that the club will wait until the January window to bring one in, owing to lack of funds. Ivan Toney is one that the side have their eye on, with Brentford setting his price tag at around £80m.