United have “muscled” their way to top spot for World Cup sensation, 64m could be enough to beat City – Ben Jacobs

Manchester United could be forced to look beyond the Premier League in their search for the ideal Casemiro heir. The Brazilian’s departure has left a huge void in the middle of the park, and so far, INEOS have only managed to sign Ederson from Atalanta. The World Cup star, who was brought in on the former Real Madrid superstar’s recommendation, can play as a deep-lying playmaker but he is seen more as a market opportunity signed to add to United’s squad depth. Michael Carrick’s top targets included Elliot Anderson, Sandro Tonali, and Mateus Fernandes, and so far, the Red Devils have bungled all three chases. United’s midfield search has not gone according to plan Manchester City and Tottenham Hotspur have blown United out of the water for the aforementioned targets, forcing the 20-time English league champions to now knock on Bournemouth’s door. Alex Scott has seen his price rise significantly, while Tyler Adams is a potentially low-cost alternative. Fans want more than a sprinkling of stardust, which is why Ayyoub Bouaddi has emerged as the latest target following his heroics in the United States of America. According to journalist Ben Jacobs, the Old Trafford side have “muscled” their way to the top of the queue, but Lille’s demands might prove to be a deal breaker. United now in pole position for Ayyoub Bouaddi The Ligue 1 side will demand £86 million to transfer the 18-year-old immediately. However, should any team be willing to loan him back for a season, his price could fall dramatically to £64 million. As per talkSPORT, “Lille are seeking €100million (£85.9m) for Morocco midfielder Ayyoub Bouaddi, talkSPORT understands. “However, it is also understood interested clubs could sign the midfielder for a vastly lower sum if they are willing to delay Bouaddi’s arrival by a year.” Lille’s demands could prove to be a deal breaker City are prepared to entertain this proposal, while United need reinforcements immediately. The Moroccan has shown that he is ready to step up despite his young age. But after being unwilling to pay £85 million for Fernandes, will INEOS change their stance for Ayyoub Bouaddi? Only time will tell. Feature image Kevin C. Cox via Getty Images The Peoples Person has been one of the world’s leading Man United news sites for over a decade. Follow us on Bluesky: @peoplesperson.bsky.social Ayantan Chowdhury After failing to become a professional footballer, Ayantan switched to the next best thing: writing about the greatest football club in the world. He has extensive sports journalism experience, having worked for over 10 years in the Indian sports media industry, writing for the biggest newspapers and websites. Currently an editor at The Peoples Person. You can follow him on X: @ayantanc_25