Joshua King feels ‘used’ by Woodward over failed Man Utd transfer

Joshua King

Joshua King feels ‘used and messed about’ after a transfer deadline day move to Manchester United fell through.

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s side desperately scrambled around to find themselves a new centre forward on deadline day and their somewhat scatter-gun approach has seen the likes of Edinson Cavani, Danny Ings, Islam Slimani, Dries Mertens, Salomon Rondon and – perhaps most bizarrely – Adolfo Gaich all mentioned as United targets, before they eventually got lucky with minutes remaining to land former Watford man Odion Ighalo.


However, much of the early talk on deadline day was of their move to sign Bournemouth frontman King, who was the subject of a failed approach from United and saw both Eddie Howe and Solskjaer himself both openly talk about the prospect of the 28-year-old returning to his former club.

However, according to The Athletic, King is believed to be fuming with the way United handled his failed return.

It is understood that, after United had two bids rejected on Thursday – their second one worth around £25million – Old Trafford chiefs made encouraging noises that they would return with a third offer.

And that led King to believe – and mentally prepare – himself for a return to Old Trafford on deadline day, amid talk United would meet the reported £40million fee Howe and Bournemouth had put on his head.

However, that third bid never materialised, leaving King in limbo and with United instead pushing ahead with a late bid to bring in Ighalo from Shanghai Shenhua.

 

It was stated that the move for Ighalo was one King never saw coming, with United’s efforts to land the player seen as too much of a stretch given both his age and the player having to arrive from the Far East.

However, the former Watford forward at least has a decent eye for goal, scoring 39 times in 99 matches for the Hornets, and 10 in 19 games for Shenhua.

United, meanwhile, have been told by Edinson Cavani’s agent in no uncertain terms that they have zero chance of landing the prolific Uruguayan frontman this summer.