Manchester United set to enter fierce battle with PSG over £87 million-rated star – Reports
Manchester United are allegedly set to face competition from Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) in the race to sign AC Milan star Rafael Leao.
The Red Devils, who dished out close to £180 million earlier this summer, are said to be on the lookout for a top-level wide operator now. Although they have the likes of Marcus Rashford and Antonyas options, they are keen to get a replacement for outcast Jadon Sancho.
Hence, according to Fichajes.net, Manchester United have set their eyes on Leao, with the intention of signing him next year. They have been impressed with the ex-Sporting CP winger's development over the past few seasons, but could be forced to battle it out with PSG.
Leao, who is reportedly rated at £87 million, joined AC Milan from LOSC Lille for a total fee of £43 million in 2019. He has helped them lift one Serie A title, registering 46 goals and 40 assists in 176 games.
Should Leao reject PSG to secure a permanent transfer to Manchester United, he would pop up as a first-team starter. Due to his preference to play on the left flank, he could force Rashford to play either as a sole striker or on the right flank in Erik ten Hag's 4-2-3-1 setup.
A 6'2" pacy winger renowned for his flair and dribbling, the 24-year-old has opened the ongoing 2023-24 campaign on a bad note. He has contributed three goals and four assists in 13 matches for AC Milan.
Dimitar Berbatov provides honest advice to Manchester United striker Rasmus Hojlund
Speaking to UK-based betting website Betfar, ex-Manchester United striker Dimitar Berbatov gave his opinion on what Rasmus Hojlund must do to shine this term. He said (h/t Manchester Evening News):
"My advice to Hojlund is to not over-complicate things. Just stick to who you are and what has given you success in the past. Work on your weaknesses and eventually it will pay off. As I said before, that paying off needs to be right now because he's at United now."
Urging the Dane to continue putting in maximum effort, Berbatov said:
"The only thing [Hojlund] needs to do, alongside Mason Mount, is to keep working on the training pitch. They need to block out the noise from the media and the fans and concentrate on their training. The only solution is to continue working your a**e off. In games, you just must hope that the whole team turns up."
Hojlund, who left Atalanta to join Manchester United in a potential £72 million move earlier this summer, is yet to score in seven Premier League games this campaign. The 20-year-old star, however, has notched three goals in three UEFA Champions League matches so far.
A Copenhagen youth product, Hojlund shot to fame owing to his exploits for Sturm Graz and Atalanta past season. He recorded 16 goals and seven assists in 2,551 minutes, spread across 42 joint matches.