Reliable source claims Man Utd have ended £20m interest in Joshua King
Manchester United are reported to have told Bournemouth they will no longer be pursuing a transfer deadline day deal for striker Joshua King.
Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s side are desperately scrambling 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, Odion Ighalo, Islam Slimani, Dries Mertens, Salomon Rondon and – perhaps most bizarrely – Adolfo Gaich all been mentioned as United targets.
Solskjaer said he was keen to add a striker who would “break a nose to score a goal” but so far his attempts have hit a brick wall, including a move for 28-year-old King.
However, despite seeing an opening approach rejected by Bournemouth, their manager Eddie Howe gave United some hope when he admitted the prospects of keeping King at Bournemouth were “out of his hands”.
Speaking at his news conference on Friday morning, Howe said: “It’s a difficult one for me. I’m not going to deny anything you have read, but I don’t want to talk too much about it because there is a day to go.
“Who knows what is going to happen between now and the deadline closing. Josh is much valued and loved by us and obviously another club has seen how good he is so let’s wait and see.
“He’s a massive part of our team and he has been for a long time. He brings that unique strength and pace, coupled with great technical ability and an eye for goal. He’s been a massive part of what we have done in the last few years.
“He can also play in a number of positions and his versatility is key and we’ve missed him since he has been out injured. So speaking as the manage of the club I’d be reluctant to lose a player of that quality,
“I think from our perspective it is how late it is in the window. A day to go is incredibly difficult to replace a player of that quality.”
And amid reports United were ready to up their bid to £20million for King, BBC Solent Sport reporter Kris Temple has stated that the move is now off after United ended talks.
He tweeted: “#AFCB fans can breathe a sigh of relief.
“Club sources confirm to @solentsport that #MUFC have told the Cherries that their pursuit of Joshua King is over.”
The news will come as a massive relief for Bournemouth, who, despite King’s struggles with form and injuries this season, will have relied on the 28-year-old to help them in their battle to avoid relegation.
For United, however, it’s very much a case of going back to the drawing board, though Solskjaer has suggested he’s not expecting the Red Devils to do any further business with the clock ticking down.
“I don’t think we’ll do any more business, no,” the manager said. “Anthony [Martial] & Marcus can break their nose as well.
“As I’ve said, January has always been difficult and it’s not just something you do like that. I am not sure.
“Sometimes I say something here and something else happens. I don’t want to make speculations grow more. I expect nothing to happen but that doesn’t mean it can’t.”
Asked if he would be happy with the attacking options he currently has at his disposal, Solskjaer said: “I am happy with ones I have here.
“And with Bruno coming in we can play in a different way maybe.
“And of course with the centre-backs coming back lately and what we’ve done with three at the back, that might be an option to tactically change a bit.”