Man Utd front of queue for 17-year-old hotshot who DOWNED Barca

Manchester United are interested in signing one of Europe’s most coveted young prospects, the Royal Antwerp striker George Ilenikhena.

The 17-year-old made headlines back in December when his late goal confirmed a famous 3-2 win in the Champions League against Barcelona.

Signed for €6.5 million plus bonuses last summer from Amiens in France’s Ligue 2, the Lagos-born forward looks set to move on less than a year later.

Ilenikhena sparkling in first Antwerp season

Ilenikhena is the name on everyone’s lips in Belgian football at the moment with the French youth international in sparkling form.

Having been initially deployed from the bench, he has now moved into a starting role up front.

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He has scored two goals in his last three league games for Mark van Bommel’s side and has also helped them back to the Belgian Cup final, where they face union in May.

Ilenikhena is under contract at Antwerp until 2027 but doesn’t look destined for a long stay in the Jupiler Pro League.

Interest is growing from England with United right at the front of the queue, according to journalist Sacha Tavolieri, as reported by Voetbalkrant.

Erik ten Hag’s side have been short of options up front this season with Rasmus Hojlund often their only fit forward and the Dane has had injury trouble of his own in recent weeks.

January was seen as an opportunity to sign a striker but the club opted against it, waiting until summer before making any deals under new ownership, Sir Jim Ratcliffe and his INEOS operation.

Man Utd also interested in Antwerp’s Keita

United are also known to be interested in one of Antwerp’s other breakout talents Mandela Keita.

The Belgium international is approaching the end of a complex season-long loan deal with Antwerp, and the club have an option to purchase the midfielder for around €7m to €8m at the end of this campaign from parent club Leuven.

They would do so in order to then sell him on to interested parties, and it is again Man United who are reportedly chasing the 21-year-old.

He has described himself as a mix of Paul Pogba and N’Golo Kante and would no doubt beef up Ten Hag’s midfield.

Antwerp, fresh off winning the Belgian league and cup double and securing a place in this season’s Champions League group stages, are nonetheless dogged by financial trouble and could seek to cash in on their most bankable assets at the end of the season.

Antwerp in financial difficulty

It was reported in VRT in January that the club failed to pay staff bonuses at the end of 2023 and were late in paying invoices to suppliers and contractors owing to short-term cash flow problems.

Having invested in high-earners like Vincent Janssen and Toby Alderweireld, Antwerp are thought to be suffering the effects of severe financial headwinds due to persistently high interest rates and a slowdown in the business of owner Paul Gheysen’s Ghelamco building firm.

Accordingly, cloth is going to have to be cut for a club who have developed a recent reputation as one of the finest finishing schools in Europe for young players.

Arthur Vermeeren, another goalscorer in the Barca victory, left for Atletico Madrid in January while others like Gaston Avila and Willian Pacho departed for Ajax and Eintracht Frankfurt respectively last summer.

Pacho, a left-footed centre back is now of interest to Liverpool and Arsenal.

Those three commanded fees totalling some €40 million for the Belgian champions but bargains could be had in the upcoming window should United strike.