Transfer gossip: Man Utd, Liverpool battle Arsenal for £17m teen as City swoop for Red Devils wonderkid
Manchester City are throwing their weight around to compound Manchester United’s misery, while the Red Devils face stiff competition for a midfielder and a centre-back.
VERMEEREN BATTLE
The gossip on Friday featured Arsenal’s interest in Royal Antwerp star Arthur Vermeeren. Dubbed ‘the new Andres Iniesta’ by some and ‘the new Busquets’ by others (sounds good, right?), Vermeeren broke into the Antwerp first team last season and has already established himself as one of their most important players.
The 19-year-old has made 53 appearances in all competitions so far, including 20 outings last season to help the club lift their first Belgian Pro League title in over 60 years, as well as to win the Belgian Cup. He earned his first cap for Belgium last month, coming off the bench in the 3-2 win over Austria.
It was claimed Arsenal had ‘taken a step forward’ in their bid to beat Barcelona – who have a long-standing interest – to Vermeeren, but Mundo Deportivo now claim that both Liverpool and Manchester United have entered the race for the teenager.
Liverpool and Arsenal are also thought to be battling for Andre Trindade – a Fluminese star with a similar profile – but the 22-year-old Brazilian would likely cost close to £35m while reports claim Veremeeren could be available for just £17m.
UNITED TO CITY
Manchester City are throwing their weight around to compound Manchester United’s misery, as they look to persuade Red Devils wonderkid Kobbie Mainoo to make a cross-city switch.
FourFourTwo claim City have been tracking Mainoo – who has come through the United acadmey – for a while now and are keen on adding him to their squad.
The 18-year-old is currently valued by Transfermarkt at just £800k, but City would surely have to bid significantly more than that for United to even entertain an offer.
Mainoo – who recently signed a new contract to keep him at the club until 2027 – is in Erik ten Hag’s first team squad this term having played a significant role in pre-season, but the teenager is yet to feature having picked up an ankle injury.
He was though in the squad to face City last month, and Ten Hag claimed he is ready to contribute.
“Still a way to go, but he’s ready for a part of the game,” Ten Hag said. “That’s good news because he’s a midfielder player and we can use his capabilities, his physicality, his taking of the ball and he’s brave.”
City’s interest in Mainoo is nothing new – reports claim they’ve tried to sign him a number of times before – and Manchester Evening News claim United are ‘relaxed’ about the situation.
TODIBO TIME
Nice have reportedly informed centre-back Jean-Clair Todibo that they are prepared to sell him in 2024, in a boost to big Premier League teams, most of which appear to be keen on the centre-back.
Manchester United and Newcastle were the sides heavily linked with Todibo over the summer, with the defender revealing he didn’t move to Old Trafford for fear of making a “mistake”.
Shrewd, Jean, shrewd. But given Sir Jim Ratcliffe’s ownership of Nice and potential stake in United, the Red Devils will presumably fancy their chances of securing the services of the 23-year-old.
However, 90min claim Arsenal and Chelsea have also recently sent scouts to watch the France international, who will have no shortage of suitors come the summer.
