Ruben Amorim and Manchester United are in line for a busy summer but the Premier League side may be forced to wait until the last minute to land one of their targets
Manchester United will have to wait until transfer deadline day if they want to land midfield target Hicham Boudaoui. The Algerian international is the latest name to emerge as a potential solution to Ruben Amorim’s midfield issues ahead of the new season.
United boss Amorim has acted quickly to strengthen his front-line, with Matheus Cunha completing a £62.5million move from Wolves. Midfield remains a problem area, though, after a 15th-place finish in the Premier League.
Casemiro’s tough time in English football continued last term, while Amorim seems determined to use Kobbie Mainoo in a more advanced role and hasn’t appeared eager to play Bruno Fernandes and Manuel Ugarte as a two. Alternatives are being eyed, and 25-year-old Boudaoui is among those to catch the eye.
According to The Sun, United sent scouts to watch the midfielder in action for Algeria against Sweden. It was a game to forget for Boudaoui despite some positive flashes, though, with the visitors 4-0 down when he went off on the hour mark before pulling back three late goals.
Boudaoui has two years left on his current deal with Nice, but has been tipped to leave this summer. Due to United’s ownership situation, though, a move may have to wait.
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Sir Jim Ratcliffe is understood to be waiting until September before making any signings from Nice, who are also owned by Ineos. United and Nice were both involved in last season’s Europa League, with a United move for Jean-Clair Todibo made impossible by the situation.
“They’ve said we can sell him to another Premiership club, but we can’t sell to Manchester United. But that’s not fair on the player and I don’t see what that achieves,” Ratcliffe told Bloomberg. Todibo eventually completed a season-long loan move to West Ham and has now joined the London side permanently.
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It remains to be seen whether the other European clubs reported to be keen on the midfielder decide to test the water before September. The Sun suggests a bid of around £20m could be enough to get a deal over the line.
Nice finished last season in fourth place in Ligue 1, narrowly missing out on automatic qualification for the Champions League’s league phase. They still have a chance to make it into the competition through the qualifying rounds, where they will need to come through two two-legged matches.
United, in contrast, won’t be in European competition of any kind next season. Their lowly Premier League finish meant the Europa League final offered their only hope, and they lost that against Tottenham in Bilbao.
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