Manchester United have made ‘initial contact’ with Lyon star Corentin Tolisso as the Red Devils are dealt a blow by Brentford in their bid to sign Bryan Mbeumo.
The Red Devils have made just two signings so far this summer with Matheus Cunha arriving from Wolves after they triggered his £62.5m release clause, and Diego Leon joining from Paraguayan side Cerro Porteno for £3.3m.
Ruben Amorim and the United board want widespread changes but are limited by their transfer budget as they struggle to find buyers for Marcus Rashford, Jadon Sancho, Antony and Alejandro Garnacho.
Club chiefs have been fully focused on trying to secure the signing of Mbeumo from Brentford, but they’re also looking to sign a new midfielder following Christian Eriksen’s departure at the end of his contract.
It’s been claimed they’re keeping tabs on Palmeiras’ Richard Rios and Barcelona star Marc Casado, but now L’Equipe claim they’ve opened talks with Tolisso’s representatives to ‘explore the feasibility’ of a transfer.
Tolisso ‘interested in the project’ and ‘not insensitive’ to the prospect of joining United, but has no intention of forcing his way out of Lyon.
The report adds that the Lyon chiefs want to ‘build around’ the 30-year-old – who’s valued at €10m [£8.7m] – under head coach Paulo Fonseca next season, making this another difficult deal for United to pull off as they continue to bang their heads on the table in their bid to sign Mbeumo.
They’ve had two offers rejected for the Cameroon international, with the Bees holding out for £65m+ for their prized asset, who got 20 goals and eight assists in the Premier League last season and has made it clear he wants the move to Old Trafford.
Transfer expert Fabrizio Romano continues to insist the ‘deal is on’ as club-to-club talks continue and revealed a boost for United on Monday.
Romano wrote on X: ‘EXCL: Brentford are showing initial interest in Omari Hutchinson as possible replacement for Bryan Mbeumo in case of exit with Man Utd on it. Brentford appreciate Hutchinson but no club to club talks yet with Ipswich Town.’
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But the long-drawn-out negotiations for Mbeumo may come back to bite United as Sky Sports claimed later on Monday that one of Tottenham, Newcastle or Nottingham Forest could effectively hijack the transfer as they’re all interested in Mbeumo’s strike partner Yoane Wissa.
It’s claimed Brentford are ‘highly unlikely to sell both Mbeumo and Wissa’ and that ‘whichever club agrees a deal for one would almost certainly rule out the sale of the other’.
And United have been dealt a blow after Brentford released a video on social media showing Mbeumo returning for pre-season training.
The Cameroonian was shown last in a 16-second video, smiling as he greeted club staff, with Mikkel Damsgaard, new signing Caoimhin Kelleher, Brazilian Gustavo Nunes among the other players featured.
