
Manchester United
Premier League • England
Man Utd ‘ask about’ late deadline day deal for 106-goal striker as Mathys Tel hopes evaporate

Dusan Vlahovic and Mathys Tel have both been linked with Manchester United
Manchester United are reported to have contacted Juventus to ask about the conditions of a deal for Dusan Vlahovic – but their chances of signing Mathys Tel appear to be all-but over after two sources soured their prospects of a deal and revealed the likelihood of the Red Devils pulling off a deadline day swoop.
Ruben Amorim’s side have left it late but are in the market for more firepower after confirmation late on Sunday night that Marcus Rashford has left Manchester United to join Aston Villa on a loan deal until the end of the season. The troubled forward moves to Villa Park on a loan with an option to make permanent for £40m, which crucially sees Unai Emery’s side pick up the bulk of the player’s sizeable £325,000 a week wages.
That exit has given United the funds to make a signing of their own, though with finances still tight and the club needing to stay on the right side of Profit and Sustainability Rules, they only have the money to bring in a player on loan.
That had seen United make a beeline to try and bring in Tel from Bayern Munich after sources revealed to us that a move to Old Trafford was the wantaway Frenchman’s preferred choice in the winter window.
However, Bayern are only interested in a permanent sale and, with United only offering terms for a loan with an option to make permanent, the deal was reported to have collapsed on Sunday evening.
In the wake of that, a number of sources, including the Daily Mail’s Chris Wheeler, have claimed United remain in talks with Bayern over a deal for Tel.
But now The Guardian’s Jamie Jackson has declared it ‘very unlikely’ that United will try to revive any deal for Tel.
Furthermore, transfer journalist Graeme Bailey, writing for TBR, has revealed that United have now switched their focus to another target in Vlahovic, having asked Juventus for the conditions around a would-be deal on Sunday evening.
KEEP IN TOUCH ➡️ Transfer news LIVE: Deadline day latest after Tottenham move for Marc Guehi; Joao Felix pushes for Chelsea exit
Juventus open to Vlahovic exit as Man Utd face transfer reality
And it’s reported that the Bianconeri are open to the Serbian’s exit in the winter window having already signed a prospective replacement in Randal Kolo-Muani from PSG on loan with an option to make permanent.
Indeed, Juventus are actively looking to shift the 106-goal striker on, with the 25-year-old now having just 16 months remaining on his contract with the Old Lady and with the player refusing to accept a salary cut proosed to him by the Italian giants.
As a result, they are open to the possibility of his exit on deadline day, though would either need a permanent sale or guarantee of a summer sale if any loan deal in the meantime was agreed to.
Despite his reduced minutes of late, Vlahovic once again proved himself a reliable source of goals on Sunday, appearing as a 65th-minute substitute in Sunday’s 4-1 win over Empoli where he managed to get on the scoresheet in the closing stages of the game. Overall, he has 13 goals in 28 appearances this season, having started 24 times so far.
It’s understood Arsenal have also enquired about the possibility of signing Vlahovic this month, with Juventus seeking a price of €65m (£54.1m, $66.7m), according to our transfer correspondent, Rudy Galetti.
However, that’s a fee right now that United are unable to meet and they would need to persuade Juventus to let him depart on loan if they are to have any chance of sealing a deal.
But with United only wanting an option to buy and Juve insisting on an obligation, any move for Vlahovic also looks set to fall by the wayside.
As a result, United now face the very real prospect of finishing deadline day without another new signing to their name. And while deals for Patrick Dorgu (£29.3m from Lecce) and Ayden Heaven (undisclosed from Arsenal) have been confirmed, Amorim is unlikely to add a new attacking option to his mix.
And according to the Manchester Evening News, United are adamant they will not make a panic buy before the transfer window shuts at 11pm tonight.
United decide on signing Lisandro Martinez cover; Nkunku link fading
It’s a similar story for Christopher Nkunku, whom United also enquired about on Sunday evening.
Our transfer correspondent Fraser Fletcher revealed earlier on Monday that United always faced a tough ask to land the Frenchman with their hopes fading in light of Joao Felix’s imminent move to AC Milan.
Now David Ornstein has confirmed that a loan enquiry for Nkunku has fallen short, with both United and his other suitors, Bayern Munich, unable to meet Chelsea’s asking price for the France international, meaning that, as a result, he will remain at Stamford Bridge.
Elsewhere, United have also reached a quick decision on whether to sign a new centre-half on deadline day after seeing Lisandro Martinez stretched off against Crystal Palace on Sunday with what looks like a serious season-ending injury.
Mathys Tel’s Bayern Munich career by numbers
