Manchester United send scouts for Brighton breakout star

MANCHESTER, ENGLAND - AUGUST 07: Detailed view of a corner flag with the Manchester United badge on ahead of the Premier League match between Manchester United and Brighton & Hove Albion at Old Trafford on August 07, 2022 in Manchester, England. (Photo by Catherine Ivill/Getty Images)
MANCHESTER, ENGLAND - AUGUST 07: Detailed view of a corner flag with the Manchester United badge on ahead of the Premier League match between Manchester United and Brighton & Hove Albion at Old Trafford on August 07, 2022 in Manchester, England. (Photo by Catherine Ivill/Getty Images)

Premier League giants Manchester United have reportedly sent out scouts to put Brighton midfielder Kaoru Mitoma under their radar for the summer transfer window.

According to a report from The Sun, The Reds are closely monitoring the development of Kaoru Mitoma of Brighton after he bagged nine goals and six assists since the appointment of new Seagulls manager Roberto De Zerbi from Sassuolo.

Manchester United target Kaoru Mitoma
BRIGHTON, ENGLAND – MARCH 19: Kaoru Mitoma of Brighton & Hove Albion looks on during the Emirates FA Cup Quarter Final between Brighton & Hove Albion and Grimsby Town at Amex Stadium on March 19, 2023 in Brighton, England. (Photo by Mike Hewitt/Getty Images)

Brighton signed the Japanese International from Kawasaki Frontale for a reasonable 2.7 million euros in 2021 and this season he has been bearing fruit with consistent star performances. The 25-year-old is signalling his own breakout season this term and though he has grabbed a few luminary displays earlier, the most notable of them against Liverpool in the F.A. Cup by scoring the winning goal in added time, caught him the eye of several European clubs.

While there’s still a lot to prove for Mitoma in order to cement his chances of playing for a top club next season, he has already appeared linked with several Premier League clubs. Manchester United are expected to sign a few new players to bolster their squad in the summer, especially in the front and midfield. Brighton’s breakout star could become a serious possibility at the start of next season if he continues to play as a fireball in the midfield.

Despite the rumours linking Kaoru Mitoma to Manchester United, current Barcelona midfielder Frenkie De Jong still remains a priority for manager Erik Ten Hag in the summer after failing to secure him last season. By defeating the Catalan giants in the Europa League playoffs, Ten Hag sent out a clear message to the Dutch midfielder about the project he has undertaken at Old Trafford and how he changed the circumstances for the positive from last season.

Apart from De Jong and Mitoma, the likes of Moises Caicedo, Harry Kane, Ansu Fati and Victor Osimhen remain firmly a part of Manchester United’s summer transfer plans.