Manchester United are thought to be eyeing a possible surprise move for Southampton midfielder Romeo Lavia ahead of both Liverpool and Chelsea.
Who is signing Romeo Lavia?
The Red Devils have been relatively busy so far this summer ahead of the 2023/24 season, with Mason Mount and Andre Onana already making the move to Old Trafford from Chelsea and Inter Milan respectively.
However, Erik ten Hag appears to be on the hunt for more additions ahead of his second year in charge, and it looks as if Atalanta forward Rasmus Hojlund will be the next big-money arrival.
A €70m fee has been agreed between the two clubs, with the player already agreeing a five-year deal. Hojlund has even undergone a medical and is poised to complete the relative paperwork on Wednesday ahead of an official announcement.
After the Denmark international, there could be more work to be done in midfield, with United and Ten Hag seemingly after a further addition to potentially play alongside Mount.
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Reports have claimed that Fiorentina midfielder Sofyan Amrabat is close to joining the club and reuniting with Ten Hag in the process, however, it appears as if the Red Devils also have their eye on Lavia, a player who has been heavily in demand over recent weeks.
The Daily Mail shared a transfer update in the last 48 hours and touched on the race to sign Lavia, with Southampton expecting a big week. They said that Liverpool, following the sales of Fabinho and Jordan Henderson will make an improved bid, something which has now happened, whereas Chelsea have maintained contact as well.
However, the report adds that ‘a foreign club and Manchester United are the surprise elements still in the mix’. It is believed that the Red Devils would need to sell first before making a move of their own, whereas Amrabat is a cheaper option at around £25m.
Who could leave Man United?
It appears as if the Red Devils may need to sell before making any further summer signings, and at the start of the window, the club reportedly put 13 players up for sale.
Donny van de Beek, Fred and Scott McTominay were the three central midfielders who could end up departing, with those at Old Trafford valuing them at £20m, £20m and £40m respectively. Van de Beek has been linked with a move to Real Sociedad, Fred a switch to Fulham and McTominay at West Ham, however, they are all still on the books in Manchester.
Should one or two depart, it could open the door for the club to make a move for Lavia, dubbed a defensive midfield “monster” by journalist Benjy Nurick. However, with Chelsea and Liverpool both keen, it could mean that United don’t have the time to make their move, so may end up going for Amrabat.
It is good to see that Old Trafford officials aren’t looking to stop after the eventually secure Hojlund’s services, so they may well be active in the market right up until the September 1 deadline in regards to both incomings and outgoings.
