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Harry Maguire remains in negotiations with West Ham United over one crucial point, according to Fabrizio Romano.

The England international has been a key target of Hammers boss David Moyes this summer.

What is the latest news on Harry Maguire?

Maguire is as close as ever to leaving Manchester United this summer.

That is according to Romano, who stated that the two sides have reached an agreement in principle for the transfer with the fee being £30m. The verbal agreement has been reached, however discussions remain ongoing regarding the structure of the deal, and personal terms are still yet to be discussed.

This verbal agreement is a massive boost to West Ham, who had the England international as their top priority defensive addition this summer, and had seen a £20m offer rejected for the defender earlier in the window.

Sky Sports reports that personal terms are not expected to be a problem, however other reports are stating that due to the defenders current £190k per week wages at Old Trafford, the Red Devils have made a severance payment to their former captain in order to offset some of the wages that will be lost as he takes a wage cut down to £120k per week at the London Stadium.

It was previously reported that the defender wanted to stay at Old Trafford this season and fight for his place in Erik ten Hag's squad, however it appears the England international is resigned to the fact that a move away is the best thing for his career, especially with the upcoming Euros, playing regular first team football may be the thing that keeps him in Gareth Southgate's starting lineup for the tournament.

Speaking on his YouTube channel, Romano revealed that whilst the verbal agreement has been reached, the crucial part is making Maguire happy with the financial aspect of the deal. Should that happen, the deal should get the green light.

He said: "Harry Maguire is still in negotiations with West Ham, so there is a crucial point: the salary of Maguire. At Manchester United it’s completely to the salary of Maguire at West Ham, so it is crucial that the sides find a way to make Harry Maguire happy with the financial point of view. The fee is agreed, £30m between Man United and West Ham, but they have to get the green light on player side. So while I’m speaking we are still waiting to get the final green light from Maguire and then Man United will go on a new centre back."

Read the latest Man United transfer news HERE..

Who will Man United replace Maguire with?

There are a couple of names reported as potential Maguire replacements.

Everton defender Jarrad Branthwaite is a reported target for the Red Devils. The Englishman impressed many last campaign during his loan at PSV Eindhoven where he made 37 appearances in all competitions, scoring four and assisting two en route to lifting the Dutch cup with the club, whilst the Englishman ended the season with a 6.80 WhoScored rating. According to Football Insider, the Red Devils would have to part ways with £25m to bring the player to Old Trafford.

Another name that is reported as a target is Jean-Clair Todibo. The Frenchman has shone at OGC Nice following his move from Barcelona in 2020, recording average ratings of 6.82, 6.87 and 6.79 across each of the last three campaigns according to WhoScored. According to Romano, The Manchester side have asked to be informed on the conditions of a Todibo deal, with the defender one of the names being considered should Maguire depart.

Bayern Munich defender Benjamin Pavard is another name being considered alongside Bayer Leverkusen defender Edmond Tapsoba.

Leeds United have been strongly linked with a move for Nathaniel Phillips this summer, and now a new update has emerged on the club's pursuit of the player.

What's the latest on Leeds' interest in Nat Phillips?

According to LeedsLive reporter Beren Cross, the Yorkshire giants remain interested in signing the Liverpool centre-back this summer.

As per the report, the journalist claims that although the noise around Phillips' move has fallen quiet, the Whites had made enquiries about the defender earlier in the summer and remain interested in securing his signature.

Read the latest Leeds transfer news HERE…

Will Leeds sign Nat Phillips?

There is no doubt that Daniel Farke is still in desperate need of reinforcements this summer, considering the number of outgoings already confirmed whilst the future is not promised for many others at Elland Road.

Several first-team regulars have left the club following relegation from the Premier League last season including Rodrigo, Robin Koch, Brendan Aaronson, Marc Roca, whilst more recently, Maximilian Wober completed a season-long loan move to the Bundesliga via Borussia Mönchengladbach.

As a result, Farke desperately needs to bolster the defensive depth, quality and experience in the Leeds squad to ensure they have the best chance of competing for automatic promotion in the Championship next season, something Phillips could help the side achieve if he makes the move this month.

Despite struggling to gain consistent first-team football over his career at Liverpool due to huge competition in the centre-back position with the likes of Virgil van Dijk, Joel Matip and Ibrahima Konate occupying the starting spots, Phillips became a cult hero during a huge injury crisis at Anfield back in the 2020/21 season.

Over 17 Premier League appearances, the 26-year-old titan scored one goal, delivered one assist, successfully completed 100% of his dribbles and won 61% of his ground and aerial duels combined, as well as keeping seven clean sheets to help Liverpool secure Champions League qualification in the final fixtures of the season.

His successful breakthrough for the Reds led to huge praise from many including ex-Liverpool midfielder Jamie Redknapp who waxed lyrical about the defender in 2021 after he scored a goal against Burnley:

"The second goal really helps and Nat Phillips has had an unbelievable time, he's full of confidence. He's a throwback defender. He wants to make blocks, he wants to make tackles, he's got great anticipation."

Since then, the Bolton-born colossus has been rarely seen at Anfield but was given the opportunity to play regularly and gain more first-team minutes whilst on a six-month loan in the Championship with AFC Bournemouth during their promotion challenge of 2022, so such experience would be massively advantageous in the Leeds squad next season.

Phillips – who has a reported price tag of just £10m – tallied up an 82% pass completion rate, kept eight clean sheets, successfully completed 50% of his dribbles and won 65% of his duels combined over 17 appearances in the second tier, contributing massively to the South coast club's final push for automatic promotion success.

With that being said, the opportunity to sign Phillips should not be missed for Farke this summer, as his strong presence, consistency and domination in the defensive third would help Leeds achieve their dreams of instant promotion back to the Premier League.

Lancashire and England opener Haseeb Hameed has had surgery on a fractured finger suffered at Lord’s earlier this week

ESPNcricinfo staff24-Sep-2017Lancashire and England opener Haseeb Hameed has undergone surgery on a fractured finger sustained during the Championship fixture at Lord’s earlier this week.Hameed was injured on Thursday while batting in Lancashire’s second innings against Middlesex. He left the field after being hit on the hand by James Harris and, although he returned to bat with Lancashire nine down in an attempt to stave off defeat, a fracture was confirmed after Middlesex eventually prevailed by 36 runs.Lancashire have now announced that Hameed “suffered a fracture of the middle finger of his right hand … and underwent surgery within 24 hours of the injury occurring”. A statement added: “Haseeb will be monitored by the medical team on a regular and ongoing basis until he recovers full function and returns to batting.”The injury is likely to remove Hameed from England’s Ashes planning, although he was perhaps an outside shot to be included in the squad having averaged only 28.50 in the Championship this season.England’s squad for Australia will be revealed next Wednesday, with a number of question marks over the party. Toby Roland-Jones suffered a back stress fracture in the same match at Lord’s and is set to miss at least the start of the tour, while Mark Wood has only played one Championship game since hurting his heel during the Test series with South Africa.Hameed has not played for England since last year’s tour of India, when he fractured a finger on his left hand and required a plate to be inserted. He lost his place to Keaton Jennings, who scored a century on debut but was dropped this summer in favour of Mark Stoneman as England continued to tinker with their top order.

Manchester United are extremely active in the transfer market after having a slow start to their recruitment drive this summer, with only Andre Onana and Mason Mount joining so far.

The Red Devils have moves for Rasmus Hojlund and Sofyan Amrabat reportedly in the works, with Erik ten Hag eager to strengthen his team ahead of their return to Champions League football and challenge for trophies once again next season.

Whilst incomings are desperately needed at Old Trafford, there is still a strong desire to offload the players who aren't in the future plans of the Dutch coach with many fringe players put up for sale this summer.

One of those players was former club captain and centre-back Harry Maguire, who has found himself falling out of favour since the arrival of Ten Hag last summer, and now it is looking like he may end his nightmare tenure with Man United once and for all.

Will Harry Maguire be sold this summer?

According to BBC Sport, Man United have rejected a £20m bid from West Ham United for the England centre-back.

Hammers boss David Moyes is eager to snap up the services of Maguire this summer and with over £100m to spend following Declan Rice's departure is clearly keen to strengthen his squad in key areas.

The Manchester giants are willing to listen to offers that meet their valuation, but only if Maguire is keen to leave the club this summer.

The approach from West Ham comes just a few days after it was revealed by Sky Sports Germany journalist Florian Plettenberg that Benjamin Pavard is a target for Man United:

"Benjamin #Pavard, he still wants to leave FC Bayern this summer as he has no intention to extend his contract beyond 2024.

"It’s still a race between Man City, Man Utd and Juventus at this stage. Swap deal with Kyle Walker has been no hot topic in the last days. #MCFC"

"Bayern bosses are waiting for a concrete offer. @SkySportDE".

How good is Benjamin Pavard?

Bringing in a replacement for Maguire wouldn't be essential, but would be massively advantageous to add quality depth into the defensive set-up at Old Trafford.

In contrast to Maguire, the 27-year-old titan ranks in the top 10% of his positional peers across the top five European leagues for non-penalty goals, shots in total, shot-creating actions, progressive passes, progressive carries, touches and tackles, demonstrating that he is an attacking-minded defender who would suit the style of play Ten Hag is keen to encourage.

Not only that, Pavard boasts many similarities to Liverpool centre-back Virgil van Dijk, a player who has been a huge success in English football with a Premier League title, FA Cup and League Cup to his name in domestic competition, as well as a Champions League, suggesting that Pavard could also be perfectly suited in the top-flight.

According to Opta's Player Radar, the Netherlands captain is one of the most comparable players to the World Cup winner, demonstrating a likeness in their strong abilities in possession and in dominating opponents.

Those traits are shown by the fact that Pavard ranks among the very best for touches made among his European peers – showcasing his willingness to get on the ball at every opportunity – as well as in the top 26% for possession won, while Van Dijk ranks in the top 2% and the top 36% in those same two metrics.

Unsurprisingly, Pavard – who has a reported €30m (£26m) price tag – has been the recipient of high praise over his impressive career so far, with Bayern boss Thomas Tuchel waxing lyrical about the Frenchman:

"He is an underrated player. He can adapt to the highest level and he defends rigorously. He is a top team player, he immediately had my confidence and proved to me that I had been right."

With that being said, it would be a no-brainer for Man United to sign Pavard this summer, especially if they can offload Maguire in the process, as he would not only be a worthy successor, but an instant upgrade due to his ability to play efficiently in Ten Hag's system.

Kumar Sangakkara scored his third straight fifty, while Oshane Thomas took 3 for 31 to help the Jamaica Tallawahs beat the St Kitts and Nevis Patriots by 41 runs

The Report by Peter Della Penna31-Aug-2017
Scorecard and ball-by-ball detailsKumar Sangakkara scored his third successive fifty•Randy Brooks – CPL T20 / GettyChris Gayle’s return to Sabina Park was spoiled by Man of the Match Oshane Thomas, whose searing pace dismantled St Kitts & Nevis Patriots’ chase, as a spirited effort from Jamaica Tallawahs in the field resulted in a 41-run win. The defending CPL champions clinched their fifth straight playoff berth and moved one point ahead of Patriots to second on the CPL points table. Thomas took 3 for 31, including the wicket of Gayle for a three-ball duck.Another Tallawahs win in their final match against Guyana Amazon Warriors would put them into the opening playoff match against the Trinbago Knight Riders for a chance to gain direct entry into the tournament final.Tallawahs’ inauspicious startVictory was the furthest thing from the minds of Tallawahs supporters after Lendl Simmons was bowled off the first ball of the game. Pace bowlers have been sensational in the final week of the season and that trend continued on Wednesday night as Sheldon Cottrell swung one full and straight to castle the right-hander before halting his follow-through to stand at attention for his patented military salute send-off. It was the first of two wickets on the night for Cottrell.Sangakkara’s streak continuesWhile Sri Lanka’s fortunes continue to wane post Kumar Sangakkara’s international retirement, his form has been waxing lyrical all summer, whether in England with Surrey or in the Caribbean with the Tallawahs. Arriving in the middle for the second ball of the match, Sangakkara settled early nerves by forging an 81-run stand with Glenn Phillips.Sangakkara kickstarted the innings in the fifth over against Ben Hilfenhaus, riding a pair of streaky shots that fell safely as he carted the Australian for three fours and two sixes in a 24-run over. He routinely used his feet to combat the Patriots’ spin trio of Mohammad Hafeez, Mohammad Nabi and Tabraiz Shamsi. When he wasn’t charging forward, he got creative within the crease, shuffling back and across to disrupt their lines with a series of flicks and scoops. By the end of his innings, he’d racked up his third consecutive half-century.Powell’s prodigious powerWhile Sangakkara drove most of the Tallawahs innings, runs were trickling through at the other end. By the time he got out with eight balls left in the innings at 135 for 4, Patriots were looking at chasing an under-par total. That’s when Rovman Powell stomped down hard on the accelerator for a furious finish to the innings.Having smashed a free hit off Shamsi over midwicket a few overs earlier for six in search of his timing, Powell chopped an edge for four to fine leg to end the 19th. After nearly being run-out off the first ball of the 20th, he found his radar once more against Cottrell, creaming him over midwicket and long-off for consecutive sixes to take Tallawahs past 150 before falling on the final ball of the innings.Lightning strikes twiceJust as Simmons fell at the start of the match without scoring, so too did Gayle. The Universe Boss fell in somewhat more shocking fashion though. One of the most fearsome six-hitters in world cricket padded up to an inswinger from an amped-up Oshane Thomas. Gayle appeared to motion after the ball struck him as if he had failed to pick it up or something distracted him. The umpire disregarded the gesture and simply raised his finger to send Gayle on his way.Wonderboy tees off, then strikes outEvin Lewis shook off Gayle’s abrupt departure by scorching 40 of the next 43 runs in partnership with Mohammad Hafeez. Returning to the same ground he blitzed a T20I century against India earlier in the summer, Lewis targeted the leg-side boundary early and often with six fours and two sixes.He began the fifth over by smacking three consecutive boundaries off Mohammad Sami, then drove a moon shot over long-on for six off the fifth ball. That shot resulted in a broken bat. Just like Roy Hobbs in Bernard Malamud’s , Lewis was sapped of his powers without his go-to bat and promptly popped a tame return catch to Sami off the final ball of the over. Only two more batsmen reached double-figures in the Patriots innings as Thomas and Krishmar Santokie took three wickets each to bowl out Patriots for 116 inside of 18 overs.

Tottenham Hotspur target Harry Maguire could fit the mould of Ange Postecoglou's high-octane system and succeed at playing out from deep, but there are some doubts, according to journalist Paul Brown.

Which clubs are keen on Harry Maguire?

One report in Spain via Football365 claim that Tottenham could be about to 'accelerate' their pursuit of Maguire this summer as his time at Old Trafford ticks towards a close.

Spurs boss Postecoglou is believed to want to 'focus all of his efforts on Maguire' and the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium has emerged as a 'possible destination' for the £190k-a-week ace.

According to Sky Sports, West Ham United have emerged as another potential suitor for Maguire and have held early discussions with the England international over a move to the London Stadium.

Nevertheless, a gap in valuation is said to exist between the Hammers and Manchester United, who would ask for a considerable bid even to consider letting Maguire depart in this window.

Last term, Maguire, who was hailed at "classy" recently, made 31 appearances in all competitions for the Red Devils and was mainly used as a rotational squad option, as per Transfermarkt.

In conversation with Lord Ping cited by METRO, former Tottenham and Manchester United striker Teddy Sheringham encouraged Maguire to move to Spurs this summer, stating: "Harry Maguire would be an excellent option for Tottenham. Whenever you watch Maguire play for England, he rarely lets anyone down. He is a solid, proven professional that is well suited for the Premier League."

Of course, the former Leicester City defender was recently stripped of the Manchester United captaincy and Bruno Fernandes has been appointed as his successor.

Speaking to Football FanCast, journalist Brown thinks that Maguire to Tottenham is a transfer he could see 'working out' under Postecoglou, though he also stated that his pace could be a "potential issue".

Brown told FFC: "I think the manager and he way he wants to play, you know, with a kind of high tempo, let's go at people kind of style. I think Maguire's ability in possession would be quite important for that, finding that first pass out of defence. I think he fits in possibly quite well there. The only thing I would say is that I don't think the Spurs backline is massively blessed with pace at the moment and neither is Maguire, so that could be a potential issue. In principle, it's one that I could see working out."

What next for Tottenham Hotspur?

Spurs boss Postecoglou will be keen to add to his additions of James Maddison, Gugliemo Vicario and Manor Solomon in the next few weeks as he readies his side for action in 2023/24, as per Transfermarkt.

Football London journalist Alisdair Gold has taken to Twitter X to reveal that Tottenham could be set to bid for Fulham central defender Tosin Adarabioyo, stating on the social media platform: "Also understand there is a growing expectation Spurs will make a bid for Fulham's Tosin Adarabioyo as one CB arrival. The 25-year-old is believed to be keen on the move and Spurs have shown a lot of interest in him. Again, they can't hang around though."

In light of speculation surrounding the future of Harry Kane in north London, Flamengo striker Pedro has emerged as an alternative in case the England international is sold to Bayern Munich, according to The Independent.

Juventus striker Dusan Vlahovic has also been earmarked to replace Kane and has been made available due to financial problems at his current employers, as per Football Insider.

Barisal Bulls won’t be part of the 2017 Bangladesh Premier League season after they were ousted for not meeting the financial terms and conditions set by the BCB

Mohammad Isam09-Aug-2017This year’s Bangladesh Premier League will be without Barisal Bulls after the governing council ousted them for not paying the tournament fees. The tournament will now have seven teams.”At a meeting today, we decided that Barisal Bulls will not be participating in the 2017 BPL,” governing council chairman Afzalur Rahman Sinha said. “They didn’t meet the BPL’s financial terms and conditions.”The Barisal franchise, co-owned by Axiom Technologies and BCB director MA Awwal Chowdhury, finished last in 2016. ESPNcricinfo understands that one of the owners was reluctant to run the team this year due to financial difficulties.Sinha said the Barisal players, including their icon player, were likely to be in the draft next month.

ESPNcricinfo previews the three Women’s World Cup matches to be played on July 5, 2017

ESPNcricinfo staff04-Jul-2017With three wins from as many games, India, perched atop the points table, will look to continue their unbeaten streak against sixth-placed Sri Lanka in Derby. After two strong batting performances – against England and West Indies – India’s struggle against Pakistan’s disciplined bowling prompted the captain Mithali Raj to underline the need for batsmen to be wary of a collapse: “We definitely will look into the fact that we don’t lose wickets back-to-back because that puts a lot of pressure on the incoming batters as well as the team. We need to work on our partnerships as batters.”Having bagged 18 out of the 28 wickets taken by the team so far, India’s spinners have led the charge with the ball on pitches that have offered both turn and lateral movement. With their most recent win having come at the venue just two days ago, it is unlikely India would want to tweak their playing combination. That could mean Shikha Pandey, who was dropped in favour of fellow medium-pacer Mansi Joshi in the previous game, will sit out a second straight match.Sri Lanka’s hopes of notching up their first victory in this World Cup will rest on their batsmen, with their bowlers having scalped only six wickets in three consecutive defeats. Led by Chamari Atapattu, the second-highest run-getter in the tournament so far, and former captain Shashikala Siriwardene, Sri Lanka have amassed totals in excess of 200 against defending champions Australia and hosts England. It is an accomplishment the captain Inoka Ranaweera emphasised is “a big thing” for the team, and is likely to instill as much confidence in the side as will memories of knocking India out with a shock 138-run win at the 2013 World Cup.Bowlers have found it hard to crack open Australia’s top-order•Getty ImagesHaving opened their campaign with three losses, Pakistan are now left to try turning it around against an Australian team whose batting is as unflinching as their bowling. Despite a narrow loss to South Africa in their tournament opener, Pakistan looked like a team ready to challenge much-fancied opponents. But their bowling and batting let them down, by turns, subsequently, resulting in defeats to England and India by 107 and 95 runs respectively. Apart from openers Nahida Khan and Ayesha Zafar, who have struck one half-century apiece, no other Pakistan batsman has been able to get into the thirties.An untimely injury to their leading run-getter Bismah Maroof , weakened an already struggling middle order, but the inclusion of medium-pacer Diana Baig inspired Pakistan to a spirited bowling and fielding effort against India on Sunday. Much will depend on Nashra Sandhu’s leg spin for Pakistan to be able to pull off a miracle at Leicester.Australia have rollicked their way to three wins out of three matches and would look to forge their position at the top of the points table before the knockouts. They will, however, be without captain Meg Lanning, at least for this match, as she receives treatment for a shoulder problem. The team will be led by Rachael Haynes, who will turn out for her first match of this edition. Lanning’s absence will put more responsibility on opener Nicole Bolton, who has already struck a century and a fifty in three innings. When Australia’s openers have struggled, allrounder Ellyse Perry has picked up the mantle of holding the batting together. That has been Australia’s key to success in this World Cup, aided by a robust spin contingent that has pushed one performer to the fore every game.Natalie Sciver and Heather Knight have been pivotal to England’s turnaround after opening with a loss to India•PA ImagesAfter being stunned by India in the tournament opener, England bounced back with successive wins. However, they will be wary of their fourth position, given three of their four remaining opponents are semifinal contenders. The first of those comes in the form of South Africa, whom they face in Bristol on Wednesday.Dane van Niekerk’s team are fresh off crushing West Indies, having sent them packing for the sixth-lowest score in tournament history on Sunday. Van Niekerk was at the forefront of the demolition of West Indies, her record haul of 4 for 0 making her the only bowler in cricket history to take four wickets in an international game without conceding a run. Prior to the win against West Indies, South Africa had barely scraped through against Pakistan and their match against New Zealand was abandoned without a ball bowled. But with a pace attack that is every bit as potent as van Niekerk talked up before the tournament, South Africa are a force to be reckoned with.England went back to their regular opening combination against Sri Lanka, with Lauren Winfield, returning from wrist injury, partnering Tammy Beaumont at the top. It facilitated a move down to her favoured No. 3 position for Sarah Taylor, who struck an unbeaten 74 – her first major innings since returning to the side after a year-long break due to anxiety issues.Bristol is expected to be warm for most of Wednesday, although there could be a partial cloud cover at the start.

Burnley have been told how much they would have to pay €10m to land Aster Vranckx this summer, according to a report from DH, via Sport Witness.

Who is Aster Vranckx?

The 20-year-old currently plays for Wolfsburg in Germany, but didn't spend the 2022/23 campaign with the club. Instead, he was sent out on a season-long loan deal to AC Milan, and he featured more for the Italian outfit than he had managed with the Bundesliga club last campaign.

Wolfsburg gave him only one league outing before his move, while the Serie A club played him on nine occasions in the league with two of those coming from the start. It meant the midfielder spent most of his time sidelined and managed no goals or assists, but earned some valuable experience in a high level side – Milan made the last four of the Champions League.

Having been given his debut for Wolfsburg in his teens, he has also showcased an ability to perform in a top league. When he first arrived in Germany, he played 24 times in the Bundesliga for them and even chipped in with two goals despite being just 18 at the time. Prior to that, he had also impressed with Mechelen in Belgium – he made his debut for the First Division A side at just 16 and went on to play in 38 league games for them during his time there, with five goals and three assists.

Are Burnley signing Aster Vranckx?

Vranckx then is only relatively early on in his career but has already racked up over 50 league games in total. However, with his gametime dipping at his parent club, it appears he could be available this summer and there is interest in his services.

According to a report from DH, via Sport Witness, the wonderkid is on the radar of Burnley in the Premier League but also Fulham and PSV. It seems as though Wolfsburg are prepared to let him leave, as he isn't a part of their plans at the club and a deal could therefore happen.

No official bid has been made by any of the aforementioned teams – it seems to be just interest at this point – but the German outfit have already slapped a 10 million Euro (£8.6m) price tag on his head should any offers come in. It means the Clarets would need to stump up a fair amount of cash to sign the youngster.

He already appears to have caught the eye of those who have watched him. Football talent scout Jacek Kulig has highlighted Vranckx as part of what he describes as a "superb generation" of talent in midfield for his country Belgium.

Vranckx has already managed two caps for his national team, and the potential appears to be there for the 20-year-old to perhaps play a prominent part for them in the future. If Burnley did snap him up then, it appears they could be landing a real gem – it's just whether they would be prepared to take such an expensive gamble by their standards.

An update has emerged regarding Manchester United’s pursuit of Juventus striker Dusan Vlahovic, and it will come as good news to Erik ten Hag as he aims to significantly bolster his attack ahead of the 2023/24 campaign.

How much will Dusan Vlahovic cost?

Having been linked with a move for the Serbian hitman earlier this summer, Italian news outlet Corriere dello Sport (via Man United News) are reporting that Juventus have lowered their asking price to just €65m (£55m) and this could tempt Ten Hag into making a move for the player.

The Serie A side had previously valued him at around €80m (£68m) according to the same publication, and although it still represents a large fee, it is much lower than previously expected.

The Old Trafford outfit made a bid to sign Atalanta striker Rasmus Hojlund, which included a players plus cash deal, according to The Athletic, yet it was booted out by the Italian side as they aren’t looking to budge from their £86m price tag that has been set for the youngster.

Vlahovic then, could turn into an ideal alternative for Hojlund should any potential move fail to materialise during the transfer window.

Could Manchester United sign Dusan Vlahovic?

The Red Devils have made just one acquisition this summer, luring Mason Mount from Chelsea and although this is certainly a step in the right direction with regard to bolstering his attacking options, Ten Hag now needs a proper centre forward to join ahead of next term.

Only Marcus Rashford and Bruno Fernandes scored more than ten goals for the club throughout the whole of last season and the Dutchman will be looking for another one or two players who could arrive and boost this area.

Despite conceding just 43 goals in 38 league matches, United scored only 58 goals, with all but two of the top ten scoring more than them and this heightens their need for a player who could score plenty.

Vlahovic didn’t enjoy the best season for Juventus compared to previous years, yet he still managed to score 14 goals and grab four assists across all competitions, and he could prove to be a big upgrade on Anthony Martial, who managed just 12 goal contributions in comparisons.

Indeed, not only does the Serbian score more than Martial, he has also registered more shots per 90 (3.12 to 2.26), taken more touches in the attacking penalty area (144 to 58) and made more progressive carries into the final third (29 to 15) suggesting that his game revolves around more than just scoring, and he puts himself in excellent positions to shoot often and also in order to create chances for others.

Lauded as a “monster” by journalist Carlo Garganese, Vlahovic, as evidenced by the statistics, offers a more well round approach than Martial, while also being capable of scoring more often and this should tempt Ten Hag into making a move for him this summer.

The fee of £55m may seem a lot on the surface, but in terms of value for money and the chance to further develop the 23-year-old at United, it could be a wise investment by the club.