Manchester United have reportedly registered interest in RB Leipzig midfielder Amadou Haidara, who is also a target for Newcastle United.
Manchester United have recently announced the appointment of Ralf Rangnick. The German mastermind is set to take over the club on an interim basis, and as per reports from talkSPORT, he already plans to raid his former club, RB Leipzig, by targeting Amadou Haidara in the upcoming January transfer window.
It is apparent that Rangnick has identified the midfield department as a major weakness of Manchester United. And it appears Haidara has emerged as the ideal man to shore up his options in the middle of the park, although the Red Devils may face stiff competition from Newcastle United in the pursuit of the 23-year-old RB Leipzig midfielder.
Formerly of Red Bull Salzburg, Haidara joined Leipzig in January 2019 for a fee of around €20 million. He was brought in by Ralf Rangnick, who was also the brains behind the capture of Arsenal target Tyler Adams in the same window.
Haidara played half a season under the new Manchester United interim boss, featuring in a total of 12 competitive matches. Since then, the midfielder has gone from strength to strength, becoming a massive midfield asset for the Bundesliga giants. In fact, the 23-year-old made his 100th competitive appearance with Die Roten Bullen during the weekend encounter against Bayer Leverkusen.
A central midfielder by trade, Haidara has raised a lot of eyebrows in the Bundesliga with his work ethic, tenacity and aggression that had made him a vital cog under Julian Nagelsmann’s pressing unit last season. Under Jesse Marsch, the Malian international has exhibited more self-confidence, emerging as an ever-present figure in the Bundesliga club’s double-pivot.
The quality that Haidara offers make him an appealing target for Manchester United, who are anticipating the potential sale of Jesse Lingard in January. The Red Devils may also end up losing out on the services of Donny van de Beek, although the recent appointment of Rangnick may change his fortunes.
Haidara himself had expressed his desire to play for Manchester United in the past and may prefer a reunion with Rangnick at Old Trafford. However, Manchester United must be wary of the interest from Newcastle United, who are capable of offering a lucrative contract as well as making the Leipzig midfielder a focal point of their project.
The Magpies might not have much luck signing star players due to their current status in the Premier League table. But someone like Haidara may fancy a move to the Tyneside in order to be a central figure in a project rather than once again competing for places, this time at Manchester United.
