Man Utd dealt huge blow in pursuit of £50m Liam Delap alternative
After missing out on Liam Delap, Manchester United have been dealt a huge blow in their pursuit of another Premier League striker.
United looked to be leading the race to sign Delap who caught the eye after scoring 12 goals in his first full top-flight season for relegated Ipswich Town.
However, the 22-year-old turned the Red Devils down and is now set to join Chelsea in a transfer worth £30million.
Ruben Amorim is desperate to sign a striker this summer to replace the underperforming Rasmus Hojlund, with Napoli's Victor Osimhen and Sporting Lisbon's Viktor Gyokeres among those linked with Old Trafford.
Jean-Philippe Mateta is another name on their shortlist following a fantastic two seasons at Crystal Palace, which culminated with lifting the FA Cup in May.
Wake up to find news on your club in your inbox every morning with Metro's Football Newsletter.
Sign up to our newsletter and then select your team in the link so we can send you football news tailored to you.
The Frenchman has been one of the Premier League's top strikers following Oliver Glasner's arrival at Selhurst Park last year, with only Alexander Isak, Erling Haaland and Mohamed Salah scoring more since then.
United's interest in Mateta was first reported in February, with Palace valuing him at over £50m and The Independent now report that the 27-year-old remains an 'appealing' target for the Red Devils.
But in a major blow for Amorim, they also report that Mateta wants to play in the Champions League, something United cannot offer after finishing 15th in the table and losing the Europa League final to Tottenham.
It is for the same reason that Delap has opted to join Chelsea, while Palace can give Mateta European football as their FA Cup triumph qualifies them for the Europa League.
And in a further blow to United, talkSPORT have reported that the striker might sign a new contract with the Eagles over the summer, with his current deal set to expire in 2027.
Appearances: 59
Goals: 30
Minutes per goal: 145
Assists: 5
Trophies: FA Cup
With their first European venture on the horizon, the south London side will be keen to sort out the futures of their star players and manager Glasner as soon as possible.
United are among the clubs linked with Eberechi Eze and Adam Wharton, while Marc Guehi is expected to depart with Newcastle leading the race for his signature.
Speaking in February, Paul Merson insisted that Jean-Philippe Mateta would be a perfect striker for Manchester United. More Trending
'Man United should get Mateta, that's what they need,' the ex-Arsenal and England winger told Sky Sports.
'He's a strong lad up front, playing at the top of his game, he leads the line, scoring goals now. He runs and works his socks off harder than anyone you know.
'He's 100 times better than anyone Man United have in the front line. Not Amad [Diallo], he's a young kid – but he's much better than Hojlund and [Joshua] Zirkzee at the moment.'
For more stories like this, check our sport page.
Follow Metro Sport for the latest news on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
MORE: Man Utd still eager to sign Arsenal's £85m target after Liam Delap blow
MORE: Man City ready bid to sign £34m star ahead of Man Utd and Liverpool
MORE: Man Utd star retires from football to become third major departure at Old Trafford
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Daily Mirror
an hour ago
- Daily Mirror
Man Utd plot second incoming Premier League transfer as Garnacho wants £50m deal
Manchester United have completed their first summr transfer in Matheus Cunha but could see some difficulty facilitating all of the exits they desire The transfer window has only been open a day, but Manchester United are already set to be one of the most talked about clubs across the summer. Ruben Amorim's side are set to see plenty of turnover as the Portuguese coach looks to turnaround the team's performances. Bruno Fernandes' name will dominate headlines in the short-term having been set a deadline by Al Hilal to decide on a £100million move away from United. The Portuguese star's cryptic social media post, certainly did little to quieten speculation. Exits also await for the likes of Marcus Rashford and Antony, who both spent the second half of last season on loan. United will hope to find permanent moves for the duo as they attempt to raise funds. There will be incoming deals to look forward to too. Matheus Cunha has seen a deal agreed to join the Red Devils, while potential Fernandes replacements area already been touted. A busy few months awaits. Rashford blow Manchester United have been handed a setback in their bid to offload Marcus Rashford this summer, with Barcelona telling the Red Devils they don't want to pay for the winger, according to reports. Rashford is expected to leave Old Trafford this summer after a successful loan spell at Aston Villa. The 27-year-old netted four goals and assisted five more under Unai Emery but does not appear to want to remain in the Midlands, despite Villa holding a £40m option to sign him permanently. Rashford desires a move that will see him play in the Champions League, with Barcelona said to be his preference. According to German outlet Bild, the club do not want to pay the £40m fee associated with him however. Barca boss Hansi Flick is interested in making the deal happen but the side are only keen on a loan move. That will come as significant blow to United, who are in a difficult financial position and want to bring in cash if they are to spend this summer. Garnacho preference Alejandro Garnacho is targeting a £50m move to Chelsea this summer, despite interest from Napoli, reports claim. The 20-year-old is another who looks certain for an Old Trafford exit having been told to find a new club. Garnacho was benched by Amorim for the team's 1-0 Europa League final defeat to Tottenham before being left out for the final day of the season clash against Aston Villa. His manager said to have told him "you better pray that you can find a club to sign you". Reports claim the Argentina international wants stay in England to establish himself as a world star. Chelsea were interested in signing the winger in January, with his representatives pictured at Stamford Bridge. Surprise move After signing Matheus Cunha, United could look to make another Premier League addition according to reports. The Red Devils are eyeing a deal for Brighton ace Pervis Estupinan. The club are said to have made an enquiry over the defender, who would be seen as bringing greater physicality into the side. Though United only signed Patrick Dorgu in January and still have Luke Shaw at their disposal. Amorim does not believe his squad to be fast enough or physical enough currently however.
Daily Mirror
2 hours ago
- Daily Mirror
Brighton name price for Joao Pedro as Arsenal consider stunning transfer swoop
Arsenal are among the clubs interested in signing Brighton striker Joao Pedro and the Seagulls are willing to sell the 23-year-old for a fee of around £70million Brighton are reportedly willing to cash in on striker Joao Pedro if they receive a bid worth £70million. Pedro has impressed since joining Brighton from Watford in 2023, netting 30 goals in 70 appearances across all competitions. The 23-year-old scored ten Premier League goals last season, making him Brighton's joint top scorer alongside Kaoru Mitoma and Danny Welbeck. Pedro's form has earned him admirers across the Premier League, with Arsenal among those considering a move for the Brazilian. Arsenal are in the market for attacking reinforcements this summer and the club's co-chairman, Josh Kroenke, has vowed to back Mikel Arteta this summer. "We plan to invest to get behind winning and doing better next season," Kroenke said. "We're delighted we have our sporting director, Andrea [Berta], who will play an important role in this. He is part of a unified and strong team, supported by the board, who are crystal clear on exactly what we need to do and the way in which we want to do it. The right way. The Arsenal way." According to a report from the Sun, Brighton are open to selling Pedro but will only entertain offers around the £70m mark. Pedro is under contract until 2028, meaning Brighton are under no pressure to sell. The report adds that Newcastle, Liverpool and Aston Villa are also keen on signing the forward. Pedro was at the centre of some controversy last season after he was dropped by manager Fabian Hurzeler following a bust up with teammate Jan Paul van Hecke. "With Joao, we had a small issue in training, a type which isn't uncommon from time to time at all football clubs," Hurzeler said ahead of Brighton's final game of the season. "We dealt with it internally and the matter is closed. "Joao is an incredible football player, he is a match-winner for us and he is a great player and that's why we invested in him. But there are principles, there are values that are non-negotiable that count for everyone. "I don't make any compromises. I am sure that Joao is still a young player, there is still a lot of potential where he will grow. I am sure that he will learn from this and come back stronger next season. I am really looking forward to seeing him renewed and reinvigorated at his highest peak into our team. That is all I would say to this. The only thing is how we dealt with it as a football club, how we dealt with it as a team."
South Wales Guardian
2 hours ago
- South Wales Guardian
Brentford agree potential £18m deal for Liverpool keeper Caoimhin Kelleher
A reported initial fee of £12.5m for the second-choice Liverpool goalkeeper can rise to £18m if performance-related requirements are met. Ireland's Kelleher, who has a year left on his contract at Anfield, played over a quarter of the champions' Premier League matches this season when first-choice Alisson Becker was injured. Caoimhin Kelleher is your @carlsberg Player of the Match in our victory over RB Leipzig 🙌 — Liverpool FC (@LFC) October 23, 2024 His move away from the Merseyside club has been heavily reported, with Giorgi Mamardashvili joining the club in July after Liverpool confirmed the signature of the Valencia keeper last summer. Kelleher's switch to west London comes with 31-year-old Bees keeper Mark Flekken set to join Bundesliga side Bayer Leverkusen. The transfer is the first of what is set to be a busy window at Gtech Community Stadium, with 20-goal winger Bryan Mbuemo expected to leave the club.
