Manchester United has expressed a formal interest in acquiring Fenerbahce’s promising talent, Yusuf Akcicek, according to Turkish journalist Yağız Sabuncuoğlu.
The 19-year-old player transitioned from Galatasaray’s youth academy to Fenerbahce in 2019. He made his senior debut for the Yellow Canaries last season and has served as a rotational player this year under the management of Jose Mourinho.
Although he has started only twice in the Turkish Super Lig, he has participated in seven Europa League matches this season. In total, he has contributed to two goals and maintained four clean sheets across all competitions.
Sabuncuoğlu reports on Sports Digitale that Manchester United has been monitoring Akcicek’s progress closely and dispatched scouts to observe his performance against Rangers in the Europa League recently.
The Red Devils have been impressed by his abilities and are keen to secure his services. They are reportedly willing to present a formal offer of approximately £15 million this summer and plan to engage in discussions with Fenerbahce regarding this potential transfer in June.
Akcicek to Man Utd
However, the journalist says purchasing the youngster won’t be straightforward for the record Premier League champions as other European clubs are also interested in him.
He said:
“Manchester United officially wants Yusuf Akçiçek. United will send scouts to Glasgow once again. Manchester United wants him very much… I expect an official offer of around £10-15m to come out in the summer. United will meet with Fenerbahçe in June.”
Akcicek is a left-footed center-back standing at 6 feet 4 inches tall. Recently, United acquired Ayden Heaven, who is still in his teenage years and also plays as a left-footed defender.
While Akcicek could be a valuable long-term addition for Manchester United, the team does not require another inexperienced left-sided defender at this time. In light of Martínez’s long-term injury, it would be more prudent to pursue a seasoned defender if they are looking to strengthen their backline.
It will be intriguing to observe whether the record Premier League champions decide to bring him to Old Trafford in the forthcoming transfer window.
In the meantime, after their Europa League match against Real Sociedad this week, Manchester United will compete against Leicester City in the Premier League before the international break.
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