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Manchester United have been busy this summer - and the spending is set to continue at Old Trafford
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Manchester United have had a busy summer. Now, it looks like they're moving for a midfield dynamo compared to Paul Pogba. The Red Devils re-signed Pogba in a statement signing back in 2016, four years after he left for Juventus for free. Despite breaking the world transfer record for the superstar, however, things didn't pan out as planned, with Pogba leaving under a cloud in 2022 – again, on a free transfer back to the Allianz Stadium. But now, Manchester United want his heir. Erik ten Hag is keen to bolster his midfield and one French midfield talent is on the radar at Old Trafford. According to journalist Luca Bianchin of La Gazzetta dello Sport, United are looking to beat Milan to the signing of Youssouf Fofana. The report has been relayed by Get Italian Football News. United have been chasing Manuel Ugarte from Paris Saint-Germain, but recent reports suggest that they can't agree on a price for the Uruguayan. Instead, the 20-time English champions have pivoted to a market opportunity who will be a free agent as of next summer. VIDEO Why Signing Archie Gray Was A Masterstroke By Spurs Fofana is highly regarded in French football, having risen through Monaco's famed academy and made a name for himself as an all-action defensive midfield presence. The player himself has claimed he's ready to take over from Pogba and N'Golo Kante in Les Bleus' national setup, while Football Fan Cast compared the starlet to Pogba last year, when he was first linked with United following Sir Jim Ratcliffe's takeover of the club. The best features, fun and footballing quizzes, straight to your inbox every week. In Four Four Two's opinion, this would be a masterstroke of a move – although we're not sure that it's legitimate interest or a negotiating plot intended to move PSG into action. The French champions have all but completed a deal for Joao Neves – another United target – and will likely have to move Ugarte on after just a year in Ligue 1, so there's every chance the Red Devils are moving to another target in order to drive the price down. If it isn't a plot, however, United fans should get excited about signing Fofana. There are few players in Europe with better statistics from midfield over the past year or two, with the value of this signing being a massive positive for a club who need to add quality in depth to their squad. Fofana is valued at €30 million by Transfermarkt. His contract expires next summer. Joel Matip could make a huge transfer that inadvertently helps Manchester United. Elsewhere in the transfer market, a former star has been tipped to return, while Ten Hag has touted his latest Luke Shaw replacement. In other stories, we reveal Gary Neville's business portfolio and look at why United may be happy to surrender the Community Shield this weekend. Thank you for reading 5 articles this month* Join now for unlimited access Enjoy your first month for just £1 / $1 / €1 *Read 5 free articles per month without a subscription Join now for unlimited access Try first month for just £1 / $1 / €1 Mark White is the Digital Content Editor at Four Four Two. During his time on the brand, Mark has written three cover features on Mikel Arteta, Martin Odegaard and the Invincibles, and has written pieces on subjects ranging from Sir Bobby Robson’s time at Barcelona to the career of Robinho. An encyclopedia of football trivia and collector of shirts, he first joined the team back in 2020 as a staff writer. Ruud van Nistelrooy outlines 'special' Manchester United reunion amid Erik ten Hag replacement claims Arsenal given HUGE boost in longstanding pursuit of superstar striker: report Brighton looking to pull off huge transfer coup by signing World Cup winner: report Four Four Two is part of Future plc, an international media group and leading digital publisher. Visit our corporate site. ©
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