Manchester United are reportedly in talks for Espanyol striker Raul de Tomas, with the Catalan club demanding a fee between €25-30 million.
According to COPE, Manchester United are keen on signing Raul de Tomas, with negotiations ongoing to bring the Espanyol striker to Old Trafford. The Catalan outfit are reportedly demanding around €25-30 million to sanction a deal.
Raul de Tomas has had three fruitful seasons with Espanyol, including one in the Spanish second tier. Irrespective of which division the club played in, the striker has been in good goalscoring form, posting double figures in each of his last two campaigns.
Last season, de Tomas scored 17 times on Espanyol’s return to La Liga, which helped them retain their top-flight status. There has been plenty of speculation surrounding the Spanish forward’s future in this summer, with many clubs keen on signing him.
Early interest from Arsenal and Real Madrid has not transformed into anything serious, but there is recent admiration from Sevilla in Spain. A move to one of La Liga’s bigger teams would be an appealing prospect for the 27-year-old striker, but there are also glances from English clubs.
? Noticia @partidazocope
? Informa @pedro_morata
? Negociación abierta entre el @ManUtd y @RaulDeTomas9
? El delantero del @RCDEspanyol es una de las opciones del United (no la única)
? Posible traspaso de 25-30 millones de € si el interés avanza
? #PartidazoCOPE pic.twitter.com/99Pr6Ibvfb
— El Partidazo de COPE (@partidazocope) August 14, 2022
Tomas reportedly has a release clause worth €70 million attached to his contract, which lasts until 2026. Espanyol are aware of the market trends and know very well the striker’s true worth is much lower. They had reportedly asked Newcastle United to pay €35 million to sign the forward.
While the Magpies may have moved on to other targets, Manchester United are reportedly in the hunt for de Tomas. The Red Devils are seeking quality reinforcements urgently before the summer transfer window shuts down, But there is a consensus they may not find the optimal targets with little time left in the market.
Raul de Tomas could be considered an alternative option to some of Manchester United’s other targets, including Sasa Kalajdzic and Mauro Icardi. Erik ten Hag will likely retain Cristiano Ronaldo for one more season and play him as his leading frontman.
Manchester United are reportedly in negotiations to sign de Tomas from Espanyol. The Catalan club seem to have further slashed their asking price as they will demand around €25-30 million from interested parties, such as the Red Devils.
The need for a backup striker is glaring enough for Manchester United to consider stop-gap options right now. Raul de Tomas could be that player, with the €30 million-rated striker posting good numbers to warrant a decent transfer.
With little time left before the transfer deadline, the Red Devils may have to make a definitive decision on the Spanish striker, especially in the wake of the disastrous start to their domestic season. Manchester United also have Anthony Martial, but the Frenchman continues to struggle with fitness issues and may not be reliant anymore.