Amid recent Premier League interest in Joshua Zirkzee, Manchester United have begun to eye up a wonderkid replacement.
Manchester United have been flying high under Michael Carrick in the Premier League. After two blockbuster wins against rivals Manchester City and Arsenal, the focus now switches to Fulham.
Sitting in fourth, the Red Devils have cemented their position in the fight for Champions League places, but must be wary of Chelsea, who only sit one point behind in fifth.
With only four days remaining of the transfer window, time is swiftly running out for any outgoing and incoming deals to be completed.
However, as deadline day approaches, the rumour mill has only continued to churn out many player links to United.
Premier League clubs eye up Zirkzee.
Since last summer, Joshua Zirkzee has continuously been the subject of constant rumours regarding his future. It seemed he was almost certainly headed to Roma, but the sacking of Ruben Amorim has all but cooled any potential move to Italy.
The Italian side has also switched targets, as they went on to sign Donyell Malen from Aston Villa and Robin Vaz from Marseille, meaning another centre-forward signing is unlikely.
This has not stopped numerous reports from suggesting the Dutchman could still be on his way out. According to TeamTalk, both Tottenham Hotspur and Crystal Palace have registered their interest in the player.
With Palace striker Jean-Phillipe Mateta linked to a move away and Spurs keen to improve their offensive firepower, as well as Zirkzee keen for first-team minutes, a move could materialise if United can be convinced or sign a replacement themselves.
As for potential incomings in the striker position, Ed Aarons from The Guardian has reported that United are weighing up a move for Rennes wonderkid, Kader Meite. The 18-year-old has been valued at £26 million as the Red Devils face stiff competition from Al-Hilal for his services.
The club have reportedly already held talks with the players’ entourage.
A move to soon for Meite?
While a transfer away for Zirkzee seems the most logical decision for all parties, the replacement that United have in mind does raise some questions.
Meite, no doubt, has the potential to be a deadly talent. He has enjoyed a stellar breakout season for a player of his age, scoring three goals and getting two assists in 17 appearances this season (with only six starts).
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However, for a player with such inexperience, going from Rennes to one of the biggest clubs in the world with pressure like no other may be a jump too far at the moment. United already have a youthful striker in Benjamin Sesko, so signing another young striker that does not guarantee goals is another risk the club cannot afford to take.
Should a transfer materialise, the best decision would be to let the player develop longer in France, which has, in recent times, become one of the best places for young players to grow.
As for United, a more experienced striker should be targeted to support Benjamin Sesko in the short-term before analysing options in the summer.
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