Man Utd Transfer News Today: Hojlund ALTERNATIVE, Amrabat REJECTS Liverpool and Romano BOOST
Graham Shaw
- Updated: 25 Jul 2023 09:33 CDT
- 9 min read
Man Utd are unwilling to pay more than £60 million for Atalanta striker Rasmus Hojlund and so have identified Randal Kolo Muani as an alternative.
Man Utd are in talks with the Serie A outfit over a move for the Denmark international but are not willing to meet Atalanta’s valuation, reported to be £86 million.
MORE: Premier League summer transfers: ALL the done deals
Erik ten Hag has pinpointed Hojlund as one of his main targets but he is not the only player the Dutchman deems suitable for that position, reports The Telegraph.
Indeed, there are also talks taking place with Eintracht Frankfurt over 24-year-old Kolo Muani - while it’s thought Ten Hag also has a firm interest in Ajax forward Mohammed Kudus.
Kudus, who has also been linked with a move to Chelsea and Arsenal, plays a slightly deeper role, but the club have stressed that their next addition does not have to be a traditional No.9.
Man Utd boost as Amrabat REJECTS Liverpool
Sofyan Amrabat has rejected a move to Liverpool as he is keen on signing for Man Utd, according to Italian media.
United's interest in the player has been established for some time; indeed, FootballTransfers exclusively broke the news that Amrabat would be the Red Devils' transfer priority once they managed to strike a deal for Rasmus Hojlund - since been confirmed by Fabrizio Romano.
United are far from his only admirers, however. Barcelona were at one point said to be interested in the 26-year-old, but they could not afford to pursue him. In recent days, Liverpool have made concrete moves for Amrabat - but the player has now rebuffed Jurgen Klopp and new sporting director Jorg Schmadtke.
Man Utd make DECISION on Hojlund transfer fee
Man Utd will not pay more than £60m for the transfer of Danish striker Rasmus Hojlund from Atalanta.
Tne 20-year-old is Erik ten Hag's top target, with the likes of Kylian Mbappe, Harry Kane and Victor Osimhen all out of his price range.
But even Hojlund is expected to fetch a huge fee, with Atalanta hoping to cash in on their prize asset. United fear an auction with PSG set to enter the race for his signature if Mbappe leaves France in the next few weeks.
MORE: Premier League summer transfers: ALL the done deals
The Serie A club reportedly want £80m for Hojlund, but there is no way United will go to that figure according to The Mirror.
Eintracht Frankfurt's Randal Kolo Muani and Ajax's versatile forward Mohammed Kudus are ten Hag alternatives if Atalanta will not compromise on their asking price.
Atalanta seal deal for Hojlund REPLACEMENT - Romano
A move for Hojlund to Man Utd moved closer when Atalanta agreed a deal to sign his replacement - this according to Fabrizio Romano.
The Serie A club have a deal in principle with Spanish side Almeria to acquire El Bilal Toure, for a fee of €27m plus €3m in add-ons.
Everton are also interested in the player but have not sent a new bid according to Romano.
Man Utd confirm Mbappe STANCE as superstar race HOTS UP
Man Utd have been linked with Kylian Mbappe since the frosty stand-off between the striker and PSG kicked off, but it's unlikely he'll be heading to Old Trafford this summer.
We told you that potential new club owner, Sheikh Jassim of Qatar, is very interested in Mbappe and even held talks about his potential signing earlier in the year.
But of course the takeover saga rumbles on and Jassim does not yet own the club. And per the Manchester Evening News, the current ownership are not currently planning to make a move for Mbappe.
The local outlet says United have not contacted PSG about Mbappe, and he is not currently a transfer target.
Frenkie de Jong LATEST as Man Utd make midfielder decision
Man Utd have officially given up on their pursuit of Frenkie de Jong, according to Spanish media.
The Red Devils have been trying to strike a deal for the Dutch star ever since Erik ten Hag arrived at the club. Last summer, United and Barcelona actually managed to reach an agreement for his transfer, according to reports, but the deal ultimately fell through.
MORE: Man Utd Pre-season fixtures, schedule & TV details
Links between United and the 26-year-old never dissipated despite the failed transfer of 2022. Rumours about a potential move this time around again appeared sporadically, but the concrete movement of last year failed to materialise even though Ten Hag is scouring the market for a defensive midfielder.
Perhaps this is due to the Manchester club's restricted budget. Either way, they are now focusing on Fiorentina's Sofyan Amrabat and have relinquished their interest in De Jong.
That is according to Mundo Deportivo, who claim that Manchester United have finally taken the hint and stopped pursuing De Jong after he was named one of Barcelona's four captains for the upcoming season.
"Manchester United tried and continued to try, at least until days ago, through intermediaries to hire him. It is an obsession of Erik Ten Hag," writes the Spanish outlet. But now, "at Barça they say, in any case, that the coach [Ten Hag] has accepted that he will not be able to count on him [De Jong]."
Sancho U-TURN as ten Hag gives FLOP a second chance
Man Utd manager Erik ten Hag has proven himself ruthless in the past with players who are unwilling or unable to fit into his system, but the former Ajax manager is set to show his pragmatic side this summer by welcoming a misfit back into the fold.
Jadon Sancho has endured a disappointing two years at Man Utd since arriving from Borussia Dortmund for €85 million, scoring just nine Premier League goals in that period.
There were rumours in January that Sancho was set to be cut loose by Ten Hag after showing a poor level of fitness, and these resurfaced ahead of the summer transfer window.
Sancho, though, could benefit from the slow pace of the Man Utd takeover process, which has crippled Ten Hag’s hopes of landing key summer transfer targets.
Sancho was used as a false 9 in the weekend friendly against Arsenal, which Man Utd won 2-0 as the England international added to a strike from Bruno Fernandes in the first half.
According to the Manchester Evening News, this ploy was more than a simple stop-gap measure to allow Ten Hag to fill a jersey in a training match – it was a genuine attempt to see if Sancho could play the role of a regular basis. He responded with an impressive performance.
Man Utd target Goncalo Ramos WILL leave Benfica
Man Utd target Goncalo Ramos WILL leave Benfica this summer, according to reports from Spain.
Per Madrid daily AS, the 22-year-old striker will make his exit from the Portuguese giants, with a number of big clubs ready to bid for his services.
MORE: Out Of Contract in 2023: Best players available on a free transfer
It is expected Benfica will demand a huge fee for a player Man Utd were heavily linked with during the winter transfer window.
Tottenham are likely to be in the race if Kane leaves for Bayern Munich, while Mbappe's likely PSG exit will put the French champions up against them.
MORE: Who is Sheikh Jassim? The Qatar behemoth trying to buy Man Utd
