Bharath Rammr
Manchester United are not just after big money signings like Victor Lindelof and Manolas, as the club, according to the reports from the Sun, are keen on a promising 18-year-old, who plays for Red Bull Salzburg. Dayot Upamecano has caught the attention of several European clubs in the last few months and the report suggests that after extensive scouting, it seems that United are ready to make a move for the 18-year-old. Rated at £7 million by the Austrian club, it would represent a sizable investment on yet another youngster by the Red Devils. Even from the Sir Alex Ferguson days, they have been showing interest in such players.
For a promising youngster like Upamecano, it is not surprising that United will have to face competition for his signature. A surprising element is that the Red Devils will not be involved in a fight with European superpowers. Instead, RB Leipzig are the club hoping to sign the youngster. The German outfit have been a surprise package of the Bundesliga this season. They almost came close to going into the winter break level on points with Bayern Munich. One of the advantages of joining a club like RB Leipzig would be a regular first-team football, which is often underestimated by young players.
United will be able to offer a much bigger contract, which could ultimately be the decisive factor in the transfer. Red Bull Salzburg managed to sign the player from French outfit Valenciennes in the summer of 2015 for around €2 million. If the transfer goes through, they stand to receive a sizable profit on their investment in less than two years.
Upamecano is a centre-back, who can also play in a defensive midfield position at times. He has a contract with Red Bull Salzburg only until the summer, but the club do have the option of another year to extend his stay. Given the precarious situation, they would rather sell the player in this transfer window rather than wait until the summer for offers. Eligible to play for France and Guinea-Bissau, he has chosen to represent the former. Upamecano has been part of the French youth setup at various levels and he has just progressed to the U19 team.
Moving to United will give him a lot of exposure at the international level compared to RB Leipzig. It is rumoured that the player would prefer a move to Barcelona. However, there is a bigger chance of him ending up at RB Leipzig considering that as much as nine players have moved between the two teams in recent times.
Upamecano has been a regular for Red Bull Salzburg this season and has already made 15 appearances in the league. He has also been featured heavily in the Europa League.
