Ten Hag ‘asks’ Man Utd to sign top Liverpool target as Mbappe deal paves way for £86m transfer

Man Utd boss Erik ten Hag wants the club to compete with Liverpool for the signing of Real Madrid midfielder Aurelien Tchouameni, according to reports.

The Red Devils are still looking for a new midfielder this summer with widespread reports linking Fiorentina’s Sofyan Amrabat to Old Trafford.

A report yesterday claimed that Amrabat’s agents have ‘travelled to Manchester ahead of a proposed move’ with the report adding: ‘A bid is expected to be lodged immediately, with the asking price set to be around £30million.’

Amrabat was one of the standout performers at the winter World Cup in Qatar with the 26-year-old helping Morocco to reach the semi-final stage.

But Spanish publication Sport insists that Ten Hag has ‘asked’ Man Utd to sign Tchouameni this summer with Bayern Munich now not the only club ‘paying close attention’ to the France international.

Man Utd are weighing up the possibility of making an offer ‘very similar’ to the one that Real Madrid had accepted by Monaco last summer.

READ MORE: Man Utd taking a punt on Rasmus Hojland is safer than putting the house on Harry Kane…

Los Blancos paid €80m plus another €20m in add-ons taking the total price to €100m (£86m) and ‘market circumstances’ could now see Carlo Ancelotti’s side sell Tchouameni this summer.

That is because Real Madrid could need money to sign Kylian Mbappe this summer with Paris Saint-Germain looking to offload the Frenchman this summer.

There are currently reports claiming Mbappe could go somewhere else for a year before signing for Real Madrid on a free transfer next summer, while others claim Florentino Perez could move for the World Cup winner over the next month.

Liverpool are also reportedly keen on Tchouameni as a report earlier this week insisted the Reds had been boosted by the previously ‘impossible’ move for the midfielder now becoming ‘possible’ because of Real Madrid’s Mbappe interest.

Rio Ferdinand was impressed by the progress made by Man Utd under Ten Hag last season and he thinks the best way to show their progress is by getting closer to neighbours Man City this coming campaign.

Ferdinand told The Athletic: “You have to look at the gap to Manchester City. They can show progress by closing the gap numbers-wise, but also consistency-wise and in their style of football. Is there an outline of who we are and how we play?

“We have been a long way away from that for a long time. You can see the trajectory of what Erik is doing, but there is still a long way to go.”