Manchester United are showing interest in signing Marcos Leonardo, a striker from Santos, as reported by Calciomercato.it.
The club is already signing Rasmus Hojlund from Atalanta for an initial fee of €75 million. Despite this significant investment, United are seemingly looking to strengthen their attack further by considering another centre-forward, with Leonardo being one of the potential targets.
The 20-year-old Santos striker showcased an impressive performance for Brazil in the Under-20 World Cup, scoring five goals and providing one assist in five matches. Santos are willing to sell him for €15 million.
Not only United but Nottingham Forest are also interested in bringing him to the Premier League. However, Roma appears to be the frontrunner in the race for his signature. Meanwhile, Hojlund is expected to become United’s central striker once he adapts to the Premier League.
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Anthony Martial is an option for the deputy role, but his injury issues in recent seasons have raised concerns about his reliability.
As a result, the manager, Ten Hag, may seek a young backup striker for the squad. Leonardo could be a valuable addition due to his considerable experience despite his young age.
The young striker has an impressive record of 47 goals and 11 assists in 149 games for the club. In the current season, he has performed well, scoring 14 goals and providing four assists in 30 matches.
Considering his potential, he could be a promising long-term prospect for United. However, the club is currently lagging behind Roma in pursuing the player.
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Roma have already entered advanced negotiations for his transfer, and the Giallorossi are discussing the final details of Leonardo’s move.
If United wants to secure his signature, they will need to act swiftly and potentially hijack the deal to stand a chance of signing him.