Manchester United have now devised a masterplan to sign an “elite” midfielder, with director of recruitment Christopher Vivell “definitely” a fan, it has been revealed.
Man Utd looking to bolster options in the engine room
After missing out on a new central midfielder in the summer, it is becoming increasingly evident that Man United will look to strengthen their options in the middle of the park this January, with Crystal Palace’s Adam Wharton recently being named among the targets.
However, Palace owner Steve Parish has recently revealed he has no intention of selling Wharton to the Red Devils, and with the 21-year-old contracted until the summer of 2029, the Eagles remain in a strong negotiating position.
It has previously been suggested the South Londoners could look to hold out for £100m for the England international, meaning Ruben Amorim’s side may need to fork out a club-record fee to get a deal over the line.
As such, given Man United’s well-documented financial issues, it could make sense to switch their focus to more affordable targets, and they have now devised a masterplan to sign Lille midfielder Ayyoub Bouaddi.
That is according to a report from TEAMtalk, which states United are now considering a move for Bouaddi, who has started to make a name for himself in France, and transfer insider Dean Jones has revealed that Vivell is personally keen.
Jones said: “I think he is a very interesting player to keep an eye on. He played a full 90 minutes in midfield recently against PSG and plenty of scouts were at the game watching him.
“Man Utd and Christopher Vivell [in charge of identifying new, upcoming talent] definitely like him.”
It has previously been suggested that Lille are looking to receive £40m for the 18-year-old, which would be affordable, albeit a huge fee to pay for such a young player.
"Elite" Bouaddi could be future star for Man Utd
Despite his age, the youngster has already emerged as a first-team regular for Lille, and scout Ben Mattinson has been left very impressed by his performances this season.
The Frenchman has featured in all seven of Lille’s Ligue 1 games up to this point, although arguably his best performance came in the 1-0 victory over AS Roma in the Europa League, during which the starlet showcased both his defensive and attacking quality.
Statistic
Number completed
Duels (won)
18 (13)
Clearances
3
Tackles
2
Dribbles (successful)
4 (4)
Given that Bouaddi is already catching the eye in the Europa League, he may be able to slot into Man United’s midfield straight from the off, so it is exciting news that Vivell & co are considering a move.