Man Utd ‘close to signing’ €105m pair; deals given ‘green light’ after Ten Hag’s ‘specific’ request
According to reports, Man Utd are ‘close to signing’ Moussa Diaby and Jeremie Frimpong from Bundesliga outfit Bayer Leverkusen.
Erik ten Hag did a good job during his debut year at Man Utd as he helped the Premier League giants to win the Carabao Cup and qualify for the Champions League.
But the Dutchman will want United to kick on next season and new signings are needed to make that happen.
United’s priority is to sign one or two new strikers, with Tottenham’s Harry Kane and Atalanta’s Rasmus Hojlund among their targets. But they are also expected to strengthen in other areas.
Earlier this month, it was claimed that Ten Hag is pursuing an ‘upgrade’ on Aaron Wan-Bissaka and €50m-rated Frimpong is consistently being mentioned as a potential addition.
Man Utd have also joined the race to sign reported Arsenal and Newcastle target Diaby. He was involved in 17 goals in his 33 Bundesliga appearances during the 2022/23 campaign.
The talented winger is valued at £65m (€55m) and he could be a potential replacement for Jadon Sancho, who is being targeted by Tottenham Hotspur.
Spanish outlet Fichajes are reporting that ‘Man Utd are close to closing the signings’ of Frimpong and Diaby from Bayer Leverkusen.
Ten Hag has ‘expressed specific interest’ in these two players and Man Utd are ‘getting closer to securing these important players’.
A separate report from German outlet Kicker – which is cited by Fichajes – claims Leverkusen have ‘given the green light to the departure of both players’ so Man Utd now have the ‘opportunity to make the signings’.
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If Diaby’s move to Man Utd is completed, there will be pressure on him to perform after Sancho has struggled to live up to his £73m price tag.
The England international has only been involved in 18 goals in his 79 appearances for United across all competitions and Ally McCoist thinks he should return to Borussia Dortmund.
“Back to Dortmund, aye, I just feel for the lad because it’s a move that hasn’t really worked out has it? I don’t think anyone can doubt there’s a real talent there but I go back to that period last season where he was having problems where Ten Hag sent him away,” McCoist told talkSPORT.
“I just feel for him, the move clearly hasn’t worked out. And why not? Why not go back to where he was loved and he was playing, without doubt, the best football of his career?”
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