Manchester United have held talks over signing Alexis Mac Allister of Brighton & Hove Albion.
The Red Devils are said to be interested in bringing a new midfielder to Old Trafford among other targets. Should Manchester United land the Argentine World Cup winner, they could beat the likes of Liverpool and Chelsea to his signature.
Both the Reds and the Blues have been linked with Mac Allister in recent months but both have seemed keener on the Brighton man's international midfield team-mates. Moises Caicedo has been more readily linked with Liverpool, while Chelsea landed Enzo Fernandes for their side in January.
According to CBS Sports, United have held discussions over signing Mac Allister, with Brighton said to have doubled his asking price, since he rose to prominence at the 2022 World Cup.
"Most monitoring Mac Allister before Qatar valued him at £25-30m," CBS's Ben Jacobs claimed. "Brighton would expect that at least doubled. They'd basically want around what Chelsea paid for Marc Cucurella (£62m)."
This rapid rise is reflected in Mac Allister's own anecdote, "Before the World Cup, I was at the La Pampa airport and only one person recognised me. After the World Cup, there were 20,000 waiting for me."
The midfielder is enjoying a stunning season domestically, too. The Seagulls are eighth in the table, seven points behind fourth-placed Tottenham Hotspur with three games in hand – meaning European football is a distinct possibility on the south coast.
United are also said to be in the market for a goalkeeper, defensive cover and a striker, with the likes of Harry Kane and Victor Osimhen touted for moves.
Mac Allister is valued at around €42 million by Transfermarkt.
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The Glazer ownership are not guaranteed to sell up – despite bids from lifelong fan, Sir Jim Radcliffe and Sheikh Jassim Bin Hamad Al Thani. Meanwhile, Marcus Rashford has underlined the importance of positive mentality at Old Trafford.
