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Man Utd stance on Saul Niguez transfer as Ole Gunnar Solskjaer eyes midfield recruits
Manchester United want to sign two new midfielders by the start of next season.
Saul Niguez scores multiple goals in training at Atletico Madrid
Manchester United have Atletico Madrid starter Saul Niguez on their transfer radar but are keener on at least three other midfielders. United are in the market for new midfielders having failed to replace Marouane Fellaini and Ander Herrera who left last year.
Injuries in the position to Paul Pogba and Scott McTominay have depleted Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s options even further, currently leaving Fred, Nemanja Matic and Andreas Pereira to choose from.
Central midfield was an area United wanted to strengthen in the summer but their focus on defence took priority, with protracted talks over Aaron Wan-Bissaka and Harry Maguire not leaving enough time to get a midfield signing over the line.
One name who has been linked with United since the beginning of David Moyes’ reign in 2013 is Atletico’s Saul.
The Spaniard has been an integral member of Diego Simeone’s side since the 2014/15 season and can play as a No 6 or No 8.
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According to The Athletic, Saul has been on United’s radar ever since Moyes picked out the player but the club have not stepped up their interest.
The 25-year-old is therefore unlikely to sign with the Red Devils anytime soon, with a strong possibility being that no new names will arrive at Old Trafford this month.
That is not to say that United are without targets, however.
Express Sport understands that Ajax midfielder Donny van de Beek is seen as a £50million alternative to Leicester playmaker James Maddison, who is near the top of Solskjaer's transfer shortlist.
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The United boss is aware that a deal for Maddison is unlikely to happen in January, though, and will still prove difficult in the summer.
The Athletic add that United want to sign two new central midfielders but believe they will be more attainable in the off-season.
Maddison is one of those targets alongside Aston Villa talisman Jack Grealish and Bayer Leverkusen’s Kai Havertz.
It was also reported that Solskjaer flew to Portugal with assistant Mike Phelan last Sunday to watch Sporting Lisbon captain Bruno Fernandes, who has been intensely linked with United.
Sporting will ostensibly accept £59.7million (€70m) for the goalscoring midfielder, who wants to move to England and almost joined Tottenham last summer.
Solskjaer responded to reports that he watched Fernandes during his press conference ahead of Saturday’s home match against Norwich.
“We go back to speculations and we do go and watch games all the time," Solskjaer coyly said.
Probed on the possibility of new signings this window, the Norwegian added: “We've still got the same thoughts we had a month ago.
“We’ve got the players we have, working with the ones we have and if something happens we'll tell you.
“I can't say yes or no but wouldn't expect many ins and outs.”