Soccer

Manchester United focused on signing Højlund after sealing €50m Onana deal

United will allow Dean Henderson to leave and hold talks with Nottingham Forest over a permanent transfer

Rasmus Hojlund of Atalanta linked heavily to Manchester United. Photograph: Emilio Andreoli/Getty

Fabrizio Romano
Mon Jul 17 2023 - 10:14

Manchester United will switch attention to trying to sign the striker Rasmus Højlund after securing a deal to buy the goalkeeper André Onana from Internazionale. Onana is close to travelling for his medical and to sign a contract after a fee of €50m (£42.9m) plus €5m in add-ons was agreed.

Onana is understood to be getting a five-year deal with an option for a further season and United want to process a visa application for him to be part of their tour to the United States. Their first match there is on Saturday against Arsenal in New Jersey.

United have not yet bid for Højlund but have been holding discussions with Atalanta, who have shown no interest in money-plus-players deal for the Denmark international. United have been waiting to progress negotiations and it expected they will be asked to pay about €70m for 20-year-old, who scored nine Serie A goals last season after joining from Sturm Graz.

A defensive midfielder is also on Erik ten Hag’s wishlist and Fiorentina’s Sofyan Amrabat is among the players under consideration but that position is less of a priority for the manager than a goalkeeper and centre-forward and a signing is likely only if at least one of Fred and Donny van de Beek leaves. Fred has interest from Premier League clubs including Fulham and from Galatasaray and Saudi Arabia.

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Amrabat, who impressed for Morocco at last year’s World Cup, also has admirers in Spain but Fiorentina will demand a significant fee and there is no indication his La Liga suitors have the money to do the deal. West Ham have asked to be kept informed of developments and other clubs in England are also monitoring the situation.

Once Onana signs United will allow Dean Henderson to leave and they will hold talks with Nottingham Forest over a permanent transfer for the 26-year-old, who spent last season on loan at the City Ground. United would then want a new backup goalkeeper and have Japan’s Zion Suzuki, who plays for Urawa Reds, among their options. – Guardian

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