Barcelona have registered an interest in Manchester United starlet Amad Diallo, valued at around €18 million.
According to a recent report from El Nacional, Barcelona are targeting a move for Amad Diallo in the January transfer window. They have identified the Manchester United winger as an ideal long-term replacement for Ousmane Dembele, with Joan Laporta hoping to strike a deal with the Premier League giants.
As it stands, Manchester United are open to offloading Diallo in January. But they are holding out for a fee of €18 million, hoping to recoup almost the entirety of the €20 million they had spent on him earlier this year.
The player himself has accepted his fate, having fallen down the pecking order at Manchester United this season. In fact, he is yet to even make a single competitive appearance under Ole Gunnar Solskjaer this term, largely playing for the reserve team.
It appears the arrival of Jadon Sancho and Cristiano Ronaldo have hurt his chances badly. Manchester United were willing to offload him on loan in the summer, with PSV Eindhoven, Ajax and even Crystal Palace interested. But he remained at Old Trafford, hoping to make an impression despite the stiff competition for places, while an injury also hurt his chances of securing a move away.
Now, the forward is ready to take the next step in his career, with Barcelona knocking on the door for his services. As mentioned earlier, the Ivorian has been identified as a potential long-term replacement for Dembele, whose current contract expires at the end of the season. The club fears the Frenchman not may extend his contract, with Liverpool among clubs interested in his services.
In addition to Dembele, Barcelona are also expected to move on from another fringe player in Philippe Coutinho. Newcastle United are already in contention to snap up the Brazilian in the upcoming January transfer window. His potential departure could create a void in Barcelona’s attacking unit, paving the way for Diallo to join the club.
From a sporting perspective, the Manchester United starlet could offer competition for the likes of Ansu Fati and Memphis Depay, becoming a part of Xavi’s new-look Barcelona attack.
With just eight competitive appearances for the Red Devils, Diallo clearly does not have much experience at the highest level of football. But his pace, dribbling and productivity make him one for the future, as Barcelona look to return to their old ways of nurturing talent rather than poaching them for lucrative contracts.
