Manchester United have been forced to look beyond the Premier League as they ramp up their search for Casemiro’s successor.
INEOS always favoured a Premier League-proven option to replace the Brazilian, but they have failed to land any of their top three targets: Elliot Anderson, Sandro Tonali, and Mateus Fernandes.
Bournemouth’s Alex Scott is the backup option, but the Cherries have raised his asking price, making it difficult for the Red Devils to seal the deal.
With Michael Carrick demanding three new signings to revamp the midfield, the co-owners have been forced to change their stance, with Ayyoub Bouaddi of Lille emerging as the new primary target.
INEOS have been forced to look beyond the Premier League
In fact, so enamoured are the 20-time English league champions that they have muscled their way to the top of the queue for the 18-year-old.
And for good reason, with the Morocco international shining bright at the World Cup. With plenty of teams in the fray, the midfielder’s parent club have laid out their demands as well.
As relayed by The Peoples Person, the French side will agree to a cut-price sale in case the wonderkid is loaned back to them for one more season.
Or else, they will demand £86 million to let their talisman leave. It is well known that United need reinforcements in the middle of the park urgently, while a few of their league rivals are open to loaning Ayyoub Bouaddi back to Lille.
United are serious about Ayyoub Bouaddi
Despite this, Sky Sports have revealed that United have made further checks on the wonderkid as they gear up for a possible bid in the near future.
“United are believed to have made further checks on Lille and Morocco midfielder Bouaddi this week as the 18-year-old continues to impress at the World Cup and prepares for a last-16 meeting with Canada on Saturday.”
Whether INEOS actually submit a bid for Ayyoub Bouaddi, after opting against matching a similar fee for Mateus Fernandes, remains to be seen.
Despite his young age, the Morocco international has shown he is more than ready to step up and now, the ball is in United’s court.
Feature image Christof Koepsel via Getty Images
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