Manchester United are reportedly interested in acquiring the services of the 21-year-old Belgian sensation Mandela Keita.
According to a report by Het Nieuwsblad, Manchester United are keen on having Mandela Keita in their ranks. The 21-year-old defensive midfielder is putting in a great shift at Royal Antwerp in the ongoing season, and his performances have attracted a lot of interest from across Europe.
Mandel Keita joined the Belgian club on loan back in January last year. He had an impressive short stint and on the back of his performances, they decided to extend his stay by another year. This time around the loan deal has a purchase clause worth €7.8 million.
Even before he potentially completes a permanent switch in the summer, there are already reports linking him with a move to a bigger club in Europe. Keita has been a rock in front of the defence, he has got great technical abilities and has the physical presence.
Manchester United keen on Mandela Keita
His consistency and huge potential have attracted interest from England, in particular. While there is interest from multiple English clubs, Manchester United are the biggest of them all. The Red Devils are looking to reinforce their midfield ahead of next season.
Casemiro is the last phase of his career, and they want someone young who can form a reliable partnership with Kobbie Mainoo for years to come. Manchester United feel Mandela Keita has all the skill-set needed to succeed in the Premier League and are considering making a move for him.
They have already scouted the 21-year-old on multiple occasions this season and have also registered contact with his agent Ediz Unal. They have obtained information about the player from his agent as their interest in the Belgian keeps increasing.
Royal Antwerp’s stance on Mandela Keita’s future
While Royal Antwerp would love to have him in their ranks for another season, they still need to raise funds despite having recently cashed in on Arthur Vermeeren. Clubs were already prepared to table around €10 million for Keita in the winter. But the Belgian side were not interested in that low a fee. They want to at least double their upcoming investment of €7.8 million.
