Ruben Amorim has reportedly made Galatasaray star Yunus Akgun ‘a key target ahead of the January transfer window’ despite what Enzo Maresca had to say about the winger while he was on loan at Leicester last season.
Amorim will take charge of his first Manchester United game against Ipswich on Sunday, but rumours of moves from the Red Devils in the transfer market have been rife since he was announced as the new manager at the start of the month. We’re up to 12 ‘first signings’ so far.
Leicester fans may well be surprised by his supposed interest in Akgun after the Galatasaray winger started just nine games for the Foxes in the Championship last season, contributing one goal and three assists in his 23 appearances.
But according to TEAMtalk he’s been identified by Amorim as a ‘key target’ for the January transfer window.
Turkish outlet Sabah claim Amorim had the versatile forward on his transfer shortlist at Sporting and ‘added Akgun the to his wish list as soon as he moved to Man Utd’ having relayed his ‘positive opinion’ on the player to the Red Devils recruitment team.
The scouts are now said to be tracking Akgun at Amorim’s request and will keep an eye on his displays in the lead up to the January window.
The 24-year-old – who scored a stunning goal against Tottenham in the Europa League – is under contract at Galatasaray until 2026 and is valued by Transfermarkt at just £5m.
Maresca, who was manager of Akgun at Leicester last season, claimed he didn’t hand the winger more game time as he wasn’t convinced he was at the physical level to compete efficiently in English football.
Speaking in the days before handing Yunus 90 minutes against Huddersfield, Maresca said: “Yunus is struggling a little bit with the rhythm, probably because he said in Turkey the rhythm is a little bit low. Here it’s more quick, the pace of the game.
“He is struggling. He’s had a muscle problem, now it’s better. I like Yunus, I would like to give him more minutes, but he needs to adjust and understand how English football is, that it’s more physical.”
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Akgun told reporters in December that he had eyes for the Premier League.
“I came to the UK to play for Leicester believing and hoping and knowing that we will play in the Premier League,” Akgun said in December.
“My main aim, obviously, is for us to become champions here at Leicester and go up to the Premier League. I will be doing my best to help make that happen.”
