Manchester United have had direct contact with the agent of Atletico Madrid superstar Julian Alvarez, reports Argentine journalist Marcos Duran.
Alvarez is believed to have informed Atletico of his desire to leave, after two seasons in which he's racked up 49 goals and 17 assists. Barcelona are pushing hard for his signing but their Spanish rivals are threatening legal action over their approach, and have told them it'll cost the full €500million release clause or he's going nowhere.
It's not clear if other sides in the pursuit will be forced to go to those lengths, or if that's simply because Barca are rivals.
In any case, the likes of Arsenal and Paris Saint-Germain are in pursuit, as, shockingly, are Manchester United.
It's reported the Red Devils have spoken directly with the agent of Alvarez after understanding his situation.
The journalist reporting the story highlights that United have money and a spot in the Champions League.
He suggests Alvarez's agents need a 'plan B, C and D' and therefore it may be welcome that the Red Devils have thrown their hat into the ring.
United don't have the same pull
Though they do indeed have money and Champions League football to offer, a good deal of that money looks to be going on the midfield, with £85million Mateus Fernandes and £100million Sandro Tonali in the sights.
What's more, they simply don't have the same pull as the likes of Barca, Arsenal and PSG.
Every single one of those sides won their respective leagues last season, while the latter pair contended for Champions League glory, PSG coming out on top in that final.
While United came third in the Premier League, in the two seasons prior, they finished 15th and eighth. There feels no way that an elite player like Alvarez would take a chance on the Red Devils at this point.
Should they have another impressive season in which they finish towards the summit of the Premier League, then top talents might begin to join them.
But given Alvarez might have the choice of some other top-quality sides, United should not be anywhere close to the head of the pile right now.
