Manchester United: French side surprisingly turn down United’s offer for defensive prodigy

(Photo by David S. Bustamante/Soccrates/Getty Images)
(Photo by David S. Bustamante/Soccrates/Getty Images) /
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Manchester United have several additions to make this summer.

Not many might have expected that it would be the same old yet funny summer transfer market for Manchester United. With nearly one month gone in the window, Manchester United have not made any practical signing ahead of what could be the most crucial season in their current boss Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s managerial career.

All their rivals, such as Manchester City, Chelsea, Liverpool, and even Arsenal, have done some sort of business in the market so far, but United have been quiet — just as they always do in the first few weeks of the transfer period.

However, it is obvious to say that works behind the scene are in full force, as per the reports surrounding the Mancunian club. The targets have been verified, thoroughly scouted, and scrutinised from the top to bottom. And now, it is believed to be the time when some calls would be made here and there and some emails would be sent from one part of Manchester to other parts of the continent.

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Amidst the current financial crisis that the club have been facing due to the COVID-19, one could possibly think that United might not sign any player to lessen the vile outcome of the ill-fated pandemic.

But when you see a club possessing the financial muscle of Leeds United, who just got promoted to Premier League, breaking their records to sign players, some questions there always remain to be asked to the United officials who run the club and conduct the dealings.

Manchester United, over recent years, have been deprived of the status of smart buyers, paying arguably more than what a club deserve for their player. There are numerous instances where the club have been forced to pay the demanded fees for the players, and the trend, as it looks, might not stop in the upcoming years as well.

According to the recent reports from French outlet RMC Sport (via GFFN), AS Monaco, the seller of Anthony Martial for an initial £36 million transfer fee in 2015, have rejected a bid of €25 million for the French star-in-the-making Benoît Badiashile.

A centre-back by trade, Badiashile, 19, has been on Manchester United’s wishlist for months now, with reports claiming that Badiashile is the reason United tracked back from their interest on Gabriel dos Santos Magalhães, who is reportedly now on his way to join United’s London rivals Arsenal.

The story regarding Badiashile also elaborates that Monaco wants “a Martial-like, unrefusable bid for him” for the young centre-back. Otherwise, he, being a key figure for the club’s new boss Niko Kovac, will stay put at the French territory.

It is unclear whether Manchester United would send an improved bid or go after the alternatives set should the deal collapse. Solskjaer has already made it clear that his team needs a left-footed centre-back, who could make their on-field build-up experience more smooth.

And with some uncertainly being held up over Harry Maguire’s United future recently after the incident in Greece, a defensive accusation now seems to be likelier than ever.

As United still have more than a month to find a new face for the centre-back position, the most interesting thing now would be to see what happens to this Badiashile tale — if United choose not to back off, what reasonable amount that would be to convince Monaco.

Next. Utd could have signed the best teenager in world football. dark

Do you think United will make an improved bid for Badiashile?