Manchester United reportedly held informal talks over a transfer swoop for Youri Tielemans before he ended up joining Leicester City instead.
As reported by Sky Sports yesterday, the Belgium international sealed a £40million permanent move to the King Power Stadium after a spell on loan there last season.
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Tielemans looked hugely impressive in that short loan stint with Leicester, and seems likely to prove an absolute bargain at just £40m.
Players less good are moving for much more in this market, so it’s strange to hear HLN journalist Kristof Terreur explain that Man Utd never really firmed up their interest in the player.
In the tweet below he says Leicester showed the strongest interest in bringing Tielemans in, despite MUFC considering him as a replacement for Paul Pogba…
Tielemans was offered to Spurs, but they had other priorities. There were informal chats between Man United and agent about him as a possible replacement for Paul Pogba, but they never made an offer. No priority either. Leicester were the only one that really went for him.
— Kristof Terreur ?? (@HLNinEngeland) July 8, 2019
The 22-year-old would have been ideal for the Red Devils’ needs at the moment, and they don’t exactly look close to bringing in anyone else.
Pogba, meanwhile, is being strongly linked with an exit from Old Trafford by the Times and others, and it looks like an ideal replacement was there for the taking.
It’s now easy to imagine United reviving their interest in Tielemans in the future, only for him to cost perhaps double or more the fee he moved for this summer.
This is precisely what has happened with the club in their pursuit of another Leicester player, Harry Maguire.
The England international joined LCFC in 2017 for just £17m, as reported at the time by BBC Sport, before United tried to sign him a year later but would not pay £70m for him, according to another BBC Sport report.
The Sun now claim Maguire could cost as much as £85m as they struggle to bag the centre-back they so urgently need.