Manchester United have reportedly rebuffed an attempt to sign one of Rúben Amorim’s squad members on loan with an option to buy this summer.
Manchester United are set to reshape their attacking line this summer after a disappointing 2024/25 campaign, which ended with a 15th-place finish in the Premier League and a clear lack of goals throughout the season.
Bruno Fernandes led the way with 19 goals, while Alejandro Garnacho and Amad followed with 11 each. Rasmus Højlund added 10, but no other player managed to reach double figures in any competition.
The club have already completed the £62.5 million signing of Matheus Cunha and are closing in on a deal for Brentford’s Bryan Mbeumo. An initial £55 million fee has been agreed, and both clubs are now finalising the structure of the add-ons, with the forward likely to undergo his medical next week.
United are also continuing their search for a new central striker. While Sporting CP’s Viktor Gyökeres was a key target earlier in the window, the Swedish striker has reportedly made it clear that his preference is to join Arsenal, forcing United to look at alternative options.
United rebuffed Inter’s Højlund loan attempt
Amid United’s want for major new attacking stars, the future of Højlund is in serious doubt. Multiple reports have detailed that Serie A giants Inter Milan are interested in the player, but according to transfer expert Fabrizio Romano, United have so far rebuffed the Italian side’s loan bid with an option to buy.
“We know there was a strong interest from Inter, who made contact with the player side, with Manchester United, since May. But what happens? Inter are signing [Ange-Yoan] Bonny, a young, talented striker from Parma,” Romano explained on his YouTube channel.
“And for Højlund, at the moment, they still don’t have any sort of agreement with Manchester United. Inter wanted to start with a loan deal with a buy option [that becomes an] obligation with quite easy conditions.
“Manchester United insist permanent transfer or the player is staying. So there is still a gap between the parties. At the moment, nothing has been agreed. Then, Inter young striker Francesco Pio Esposito is developing very well. He scored against River Plate.
“And so maybe Inter are revisiting their ideas for the striker’s position for next season. And so at the moment, the Rasmus Højlund interest remains from Inter. But the deal is still in standby in this moment. It’s not advancing club to club also because of Manchester United conditions.”
Højlund told to wait to see who United sign before leaving
While United are set to sign a new striker this summer, who would see Højlund competing with a fourth player for the position alongside Zirkzee and Chido Obi, the Danish international has been advised to hold on any decision to stay or leave.
Former United defender Rio Ferdinand recently explained that he feels if United signs another young striker, Højlund should leave; however, if the club instead sign an experienced frontman, the 22-year-old should consider staying.
“If Man United go out and get an experienced number nine, I think he should stay. If it’s not [an experienced number nine], he should go and get experience somewhere else,” Ferdinand said earlier this week.
Both scenarios are certainly possible. Although the club have been linked to young names such as 22-year-old Hugo Ekitike and 24-year-old Tolu Arokodare, it has also been well documented that they remain interested in Sporting CP striker Gyökeres.
Although the 27-year-old Swedish international is known to favour a move to Arsenal, the door to United is not closed, and Amorim’s side are patiently waiting in the wings and observing his transfer saga play out before choosing whether or not to launch an attack for the player who scored 66 goals in 68 games under Amorim.
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