Manchester United

Manchester United

Premier League • England

Man Utd monitoring in-demand second-tier midfielder who broke a record

Warren Bondo playing for Nancy

Manchester United are one of the clubs to have been monitoring Nancy midfielder Warren Bondo, according to reports in France.

Bondo became the youngest ever player to sign a professional contract for Nancy when doing so at the age of 15 in 2019. Now, though, that contract is approaching its conclusion.

Nancy only have him tied down until the end of the season. Given that they are playing in the French second tier, it seems almost impossible for them to keep him.

Now 18 years old, Bondo is attracting interest from all over Europe. According to Le 10 Sport, he is a top target for Rennes in Ligue 1.

However, he could also continue his career outside France. AC Milan are long-term admirers from Italy, while in Germany he has caught the attention of Bayern Munich.

But Man Utd have also been well established in the race to sign Bondo, according to the report.

It is claimed that United have been following him with close attention since his rise to prominence. The same goes for Serie A side Inter Milan.

Midfield is an area United have been looking to reinforce for a while. It is likely they will be aiming for a more senior signing immediately, but they are always keeping one eye to the future.

Rangnick prioritising offloading players in January

Rangnick prioritising offloading players in January

The emphasis will be on trimming the squad down in January rather than building it up.

Therefore, they will be following Bondo’s progress until he becomes a free agent. He has already played 12 times between league and cup this season.

Many more appearances should follow, but it seems certain he will be on the move when the summer comes. Whether Man Utd can win the race to sign him remains to be seen.


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Man Utd midfielder wants exit

Meanwhile, United could be about to lose one midfielder for good – at least if he gets his wish.

Andreas Pereira is currently out on loan in Brazil with Flamengo and has confirmed he wants to make the move permanent.

He told ESPN: “My desire has always been to stay here at Flamengo, and now we are going to do everything.

“We are going to talk to President Landim and Marcos Braz to make this possible. Of course, I have a feeling that I owe the fans a title.”

The issue about a transfer would be a difference between what Flamengo want to pay and how much United are requesting.

Although not a member of the first-team squad this season, Pereira’s desire to depart shows how United may need to plan for the future to ensure squad depth.

Therefore, Bondo’s potential arrival would be beneficial – if not a given by any means at this stage.

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