Man United missed out to finalize signing of in-form premier league striker after spending big on Antony

Man United missed out to finalize signing of in-form premier league striker after spending big on Antony

Because of budgetary concerns, Manchester United was unable to really pursue the signing of Aston Villa star Jhon Duran.

One of the main worries for United going into their Sunday afternoon matchup against Villa, who are supposed to be flying high, is Duran.

The Colombian striker, 20, has made nine appearances in all competitions so far this season, and he has already scored six goals. He recently won a lot of praise for his Champions League goal against Bayern Munich, in especially.

The Red Devils’ backline, under Erik ten Hag, is still looking unsteady, which could present Duran with a fantastic opportunity to add to his total.

Interestingly, had the club’s hierarchy planned their transfer business better, the Colombia international might have been in their camp for today’s big clash in Birmingham.

According to The Mirror, two years ago United chiefs wanted to sign the young forward, who was grabbing attention with his performances in the MLS with Chicago Fire.

It is claimed United were “amongst the top contenders for his signature”. United scout Giuseppe Antonaccio had been following the player’s progress since his spell with Envigado in Colombia. Subsequently, the player’s potential was flagged to senior club officials.

After extensive scouting, United even “lodged an enquiry” and were “quoted a figure in the region of £10m” by Chicago Fire.

However, Duran’s valuation sharply increased as a number of top European clubs, including Atletico Madrid showed interest in his services, owing to his form.

The Mancunian giants, who had committed to paying £82m for Antony and £70m for Casemiro in the summer of 2022, were unable to put “serious cash on the table” and “conclude a potential deal” because of financial fair play concerns.

In January 2023, Villa managed to secure his signature after agreeing an £18 million with the MLS outfit.

Since then, the Old Trafford side have spent heavily on fixing their goal scoring issues, having signed Rasmus Højlund and Joshua Zirkzee from Serie A in back to back summer transfer windows. Both young strikers are yet to establish themselves as reliable goal scorers for a club the stature of United