Despite not having a manager in place for the 2026/27 campaign, Manchester United are making plans for the upcoming summer transfer window.
Michael Carrick is in interim charge until the end of this season and then the club will need to make a decision on whether or not they want to offer him the job on a permanent basis.
Irrespective of the outcome of that situation, the Red Devils have already held talks with Newcastle United over a possible move to sign Anthony Gordon in the summer.
United have enquired about a swoop for the England international, who is valued at up to £95m, as they look to add more quality to their attacking options ahead of next season.
Gordon has scored 14 goals in all competitions for the Magpies this term, including a four-goal haul against Qarabag in the Champions League this month, and could provide an exciting goal threat for the Red Devils.
Man United identify Premier League star as top target
It remains to be seen whether or not United are willing to pay the £95m that it may take to prise the former Everton forward away from St. James’ Park in the summer.
That may be why the club opt to look elsewhere for a cheaper option to bolster their attacking options so that they can save money to spend in other positions.
For example, Sandro Tonali, a central midfielder, has also been linked with a move to Old Trafford in the summer, and signing a cheaper alternative to Gordon could free up funds for them to do that deal on top of signing an attacker.
According to TEAMtalk, Manchester United have identified Wolverhampton Wanderers forward Mateus Mane as a top target for the summer transfer window.
The report claims that the England youth international is being chased by a host of top clubs across Europe, including PSG, Bayern Munich, Manchester City, Arsenal, Liverpool, and Chelsea.
This means that United look set to face stiff competition to secure the 18-year-old starlet’s services in the summer, due to the level of interest in him.
If the Red Devils can win the race to sign Mane, who has been valued at up to £50m by the Old Gold, they could unearth their next version of Amad Diallo at Old Trafford.
Why Mateus Mane would be an Amad Diallo repeat
United swooped to sign Amad from Atalanta for a fee of around £37m in January 2022 after he had made his breakthrough as a teenager with the Italian club.
Because the club snapped him up as a young player with potential, the Ivorian forward did not arrive on massive wages and is not currently one of the top ten highest earners at the club.
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Gordon is already on £150k-per-week, though, and would arrive as one of United’s top earners, on top of a transfer fee that could be £95m, which is why Mane could be a dream alternative.
The Wolves youngster is on £8k-per-week at the Molineux and could cost £50m, making signing him a far cheaper alternative to the Newcastle star, in a move that would be similar to the one that brought Amad to Old Trafford.
Mane may not have scored four goals in a Champions League game, like Gordon has, but the 18-year-old talent has scored two goals and provided one assist in the Premier League this season.
Scoring two goals in the Premier League before turning 19 is no mean feat, particularly for a team that have won one out of 27 league games.
Man Utd CFs who scored in the PL before their 19th birthday
Player
Age
Federico Macheda
17 years, 7 months, 14 days
Danny Welbeck
17 years 11 months 20 days
James Wilson
18 years 5 months 5 days
Giuseppe Rossi
18 years 8 months 13 days
Cristiano Ronaldo
18 years 8 months 27 days
Only five strikers have scored for United in the Premier League before their 19th birthday, including Cristiano Ronaldo, who played wide or through the middle, which speaks to how impressive Mane’s current form is.
That does not mean that the Wolves forward, who U23 scout Antonio Mango claimed has made an “astonishing impact” this season, could walk straight into the first-team, though, because Amad went on loan to Rangers and Sunderland before his breakthrough with the senior side.
The Ivorian star, who has scored 16 goals in 85 games for United, has set a path for fellow young players arriving at Old Trafford to follow, making his mark out on loan to earn a place in the first-team, and it is one that Mane could follow.
United could swoop to sign the teenage forward and send him out on loan to play regular minutes next season, with the aim of bringing him into the fold in the future, as they did with Amad.
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