Ten Hag chooses ‘favourite’ to replace ‘sulking’ Man Utd player he plans to ‘dump’ this summer
Man Utd boss Erik ten Hag wants Bayer Leverkusen forward Moussa Diaby to replace Anthony Martial this summer, according to reports.
The Red Devils have made a centre-forward their priority this summer with Tottenham striker Harry Kane understood to be their main target.
But they may also be in the market for another forward player with rumours France international Martial could leave Old Trafford in the summer.
A recent report claimed that Ten Hag has ‘lost all patience’ with Martial – who has been ruled out of the FA Cup final with a hamstring strain – with the Man Utd boss ready to ‘dump’ him this summer.
Martial has suffered with injuries for most of his Man Utd career and this season has been no different with the forward limited to 15 starts in all competitions.
The Frenchman walked straight down the tunnel after being substituted off in their 1-0 victory over Bournemouth 11 days ago and the report described it as his ‘latest sulk’ with Ten Hag tired of it.
And now Spanish publication Fichajes claims that Bayer Leverkusen’s Diaby is ‘Ten Hag’s favourite’ to replace Martial in the summer transfer window.
Man Utd have decided that Martial ‘does not have the quality’ to reach greater heights and, ‘with the approval’ of Ten Hag, the Red Devils will now look for a new destination for Martial, who they bought from Monaco in a £57.6m, including potential add-ons.
And Ten Hag wants to ‘replace him’ with Diaby and Man Utd will ‘negotiate as soon as possible’ with Real Madrid and Paris Saint-Germain also interested in 23-year-old’s signature.
Diaby has contributed 14 goals and nine assists for Leverkusen in 47 matches in all competitions this season.
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French football expert Jonathan Johnson revealed earlier this month that the “expectation” was that Diaby will now leave Leverkusen this month.
Johnson told Caught Offside: “Moussa Diaby continues to be linked with Arsenal, and their interest doesn’t surprise me, nor does talk of a fee of around £50m being enough to prise him away from Bayer Leverkusen this summer.
“Diaby has really developed well with Leverkusen and it could even be that that price tag will creep up if they reach the Europa League final as well.
“In terms of Diaby’s situation, it’s seemed for some time now that this could be the summer he moves. PSG were linked with a move to bring him back to the French capital, but that seems unrealistic given the fee they sold him for in comparison to how much he’d be worth now.
“I do think his kind of talent and consistency that we’ve seen from him in the Bundesliga in the last few years would justify a fee in the region of £50m, so clubs would do well to get him for something around that figure.
“The expectation is that Diaby will now get a move to a big European club, and there is a lot of interest from the Premier League, not just from Arsenal but from Newcastle United as well.
“He’s definitely one to watch and it has the potential to be a good few months ahead for him if he can guide Leverkusen to the Europa League final and then get a big move.”
