Manchester United are now preparing a bid to open for the “nightmare to play with” midfielder, and could be brought in as an alternative to West Ham United's Mateus Fernandes.
West Ham play hard football over Mateus Fernandes
You'd expect West Ham's relegation from the Premier League to weaken their negotiating position when it comes to signing Fernandes, but transfer expert Fabrizio Romano has revealed they are refusing to lower their £85m maximum price.
A deal for the Portuguese midfielder is set to cost less than the signing of Nottingham Forest star Elliot Anderson, with Evangelos Marinakis demanding more than £120m for the Newcastle United man, who will represent England at the World Cup.
In fact, the West Ham maestro is now confident of completing a move to Old Trafford this summer, as he has admirers behind the scenes at United, but there will be competition for his signature, with the likes of Liverpool and Chelsea having recently opened talks.
Should United miss out on Fernandes for any reason, such as the price being too high, or a rival Premier League club swooping in, they will need to make another signing, and are now ready to take on the Ligue 1 star.
Man Utd set to offer 'nightmare' midfielder
According to Foot Mercato reporter Sebastien Denis, RC Lens player Mamadou Sangare has “caught the eye” of Manchester United, and INEOS is now “preparing an offer” to ensure they win the race for his signature, amid widespread interest.
More than a dozen clubs are said to be interested in signing the 23-year-old, but Lens are yet to receive a formal bid, suggesting the Red Devils may want to make a move before anyone else.
Bence Bocsak has suggested that the Malian player may be eligible for the Premier League, which proves to be true, with the reporter saying: “He's a great ball handler. He's got a lot of speed and he's quick on and off the ball.
“That speed allows him to press well and block his opponents to intercept the intended pass. He's the type of player who is a nightmare to play against.
“At 23 years of age I think he has the type of profile to succeed in the Premier League in the future.”
The African, who earns £33,000-a-week at Lens, was instrumental in his side's second-place finish in Ligue 1 last season, making 29 appearances and scoring three goals and providing four assists.
Sangare also averaged 3.3 per 90 in Ligue 1, suggesting he could be a replacement for Casemiro, while the Brazilian averaged 3.1 per 90 in the Premier League last season.
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