United scouts blown away by 20yo Italian sniper, a swap deal could be INEOS’ best shot at winning transfer race – report

Considering Manchester United will be competing on four fronts next season, the squad will need to cope with three matches in a single week. For that, INEOS need to add depth to the squad with the attack, in particular, needing more quality. Currently, Michael Carrick only has Benjamin Sesko as an out-and-out striker. The Slovenian enjoyed a terrific debut season since the head coach took charge, but it would be a mistake to place the entire burden of scoring goals on the 23-year-old. His backup, Joshua Zirkzee, is not a reliable goalscorer, and while the Dutchman would love to stay, INEOS are keen to cut their losses. United scouts blown away by Pio Esposito The co-owners are looking to add another proven goalscorer to their ranks, and Teamtalk have revealed that club scouts have been blown away by Inter Milan striker Pio Esposito. They were in attendance to watch the 20-year-old in action for his country, as he netted against both Luxembourg and Greece with Italy claiming victories in each friendly. Scouts feel that, despite his young age, Pio Esposito is ready to make a step up in his career. His form for the Nerazzurri last season was equally impressive, as the striker netted 10 times in all competitions while registering six assists. Will not be easy to sign him Naturally, that has meant plenty of English clubs are interested, and United will not have it easy to acquire his services. “Manchester United were among the clubs represented in Greece on Sunday as they continued their assessment of highly-rated Inter Milan striker Pio Esposito, TEAMtalk can reveal. “The 20-year-old has enjoyed a breakthrough campaign for the Nerazzurri, notching 10 goals and six assists this season, and is rapidly emerging as one of the most exciting young forwards in European football. “Esposito’s performances have not gone unnoticed, and TEAMtalk understands the Italian international is attracting attention from across the Premier League, with Arsenal, Tottenham and Chelsea’s ownership group, BlueCo, all having monitored his development closely over the past 12 months. Swap deal opportunity opening up “Sources have told TEAMtalk that Man Utd scouts were present for Italy’s recent fixtures against Luxembourg and Greece, with Esposito starting both matches and finding the net in each. “The young striker’s displays only strengthened the belief among Man Utd’s recruitment staff that he possesses the attributes to develop into a top-level centre-forward.” There is one way the 20-time English league champions could potentially get ahead of the competition for the Italian’s services. Inter are interested in Zirkzee, and that could open up the possibility of a swap deal. The Inter striker is aware of the interest he is generating, but whether he will leave remains to be seen. His current deal is valid until 2030, and the Serie A giants see him as the cornerstone of their project, which makes it even more difficult for United. Feature image Alessandro Sabattini 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