Change of plan from Solskjaer, as club set to land Man Utd loan ‘coup’

Tahith Chong on loan from Man Utd, Aleksandar Dragovic Bayer Leverkusen v Werder Bremen

Manchester United winger Tahith Chong is closing in on a loan move to Championship side Birmingham City, according to a report.

The 21-year-old is one of several exciting youngsters at Old Trafford, including James Garner and Amad Diallo. Unlike Amad, though, Chong’s chances of breaking into the first team look slim for now. Consequently, he has signed up to loan spells at Werder Bremen and Club Brugge in the past year.

While Chong may not be close to a first team role, United fought off competition from elsewhere to tie him to a new contract last March.

Upon returning to Manchester, The Telegraph claims that the Red Devils will change their approach over developing the attacker.

Instead of moving abroad again, he will cut his teeth in the Championship, with Birmingham close to signing him.

The newspaper adds that Blues boss Lee Bowyer will see Chong’s arrival as a ‘coup’.

The Dutchman has Champions League experience, even if only 10 minutes of United’s famous away win over Paris Saint-Germain.

Elsewhere, he has played in five Premier League games under manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s stewardship. Chong made 13 Bundesliga appearances for Bremen, adding seven more in Bruges.

Manchester United keen on Palmeiras starlet Gabriel Veron

Manchester United keen on Palmeiras starlet Gabriel Veron

Manchester United have been linked with Palmeiras youngster Gabriel Veron and are in the “front row” for his signature.

As such, Bowyer will hope the player will have a key role in driving Birmingham back up the table after last season’s 18th-placed finish.

The Manchester Evening News adds that the Midlands club fought off options from abroad, as well as other clubs domestically.

Chong’s exit from United would come as the club’s third departure of the summer.

Fringe goalkeeper Joel Pereira has signed for Eredivisie side RKC Waalwijk, while fellow stopper Sergio Romero has also left.

As for arrivals, the Red Devils made the first big move of the summer, signing Jadon Sancho from Borussia Dortmund for £73million.

Man Utd get Sancho verdict

Jadon Sancho during England training, June 2021

The arrival of 21-year-old Sancho could prove to be a masterstroke from the Old Trafford club.

His statistics speak for themselves, having notched 20 goals and 20 assists in 2019/20. Indeed, he followed that up with 16 goals and 20 assists last season.

According to one of his former coaches, though, his goals and assists are not Sancho’s best asset.