Man Utd in contact for towering €50m star as Bruno Fernandes decision made
Manchester United are rivalling Tottenham Hotspur and Newcastle United for Bayer Leverkusen star Edmond Tapsoba, according to a report, while INEOS have decided whether to sell Bruno Fernandes to Galatasaray.
Man Utd have signed Andrey Santos, Youri Tielemans, Karl Darlow and Tynan Thompson so far this summer. They are aiming to bring in a third central midfielder alongside a left-back, centre-half and striker before the transfer deadline. United may also need to land a left winger if Marcus Rashford secures a move to a top European club.
Amid concerns over the long-term fitness of current centre-backs Matthijs de Ligt and Lisandro Martinez, Michael Carrick’s side have been linked with Tapsoba…
Man Utd in contact for signing
United are ‘maintaining close contact’ with Tapsoba’s agents as they weigh up a possible move for the imposing 6ft 4in defender, as per German source Fussball Daten.
Premier League clubs are ‘leading the race’ to sign Tapsoba, with United, Spurs and Newcastle his main suitors.
Leverkusen are aware of the interest and have given the 27-year-old a €50million (£43m) price tag.
Tapsoba is seen as a ‘tailor-made solution’ for clubs who want a centre-back that can ‘build up play at high tempo and cover large areas’.
The Burkina Faso international made 28 appearances for Leverkusen as they won the Bundesliga title unbeaten in the 2023-24 campaign.
Bruno Fernandes latest
The Telegraph report that Turkish champions Galatasaray are ready to bid €50m/£43m for United captain Fernandes, while also offering to double his wages.
However, as per various sources including The Telegraph, BBC Sport and Ben Jacobs, United will not sell Fernandes this summer, even if a major offer comes in.
The Red Devils want to hand Fernandes a new long-term deal to end interest from Galatasaray and Saudi clubs.
The Portuguese did have a £57m exit clause in his contract, but it has expired.
Fernandes’ current deal runs until June 2027, and United have the option to extend it by 12 months.
Barcelona reignite Rashford interest
INEOS are facing a major decision over the future of Marcus Rashford as Barcelona have reactivated their interest in the forward, we can confirm.
If Barca are unable to sign Julian Alvarez from Atletico Madrid, then Rashford could re-emerge as a key attacking target.
Rashford has been reintegrated into the United squad but would jump at the chance to re-join Barca even after they signed Anthony Gordon and Karim Adeyemi ahead of him.
The key issue remains the type of deal on offer. United want a permanent transfer to let the Englishman leave, whereas Barca would prefer another loan.
