Bharath Rammr
Manchester United have been given a major boost in their pursuit of Monaco midfielder Tiemoué Bakayoko, as the player has turned down a contract extension, as per the reports French daily Le Parisien. United were seriously considering the possibility of making a move for Bakayoko in January, according to the Telegraph, however, the decision had to be postponed due to a variety of reasons. One of the first is the return of Bastian Schweinsteiger to the first-team squad. After being frozen out of the action in the first half of the campaign, as German returned to the compete for a place. However, the player is widely expected to move in the summer with his contract not expected to be renewed.
Bakayoko may come in as the replacement, but one of the stumbling blocks towards a potential deal has been the form of Monaco in the French league this season. After struggling to even finish in the Champions League places a few seasons ago, Monaco are once again challenging for the title. The uncertainty at Paris St Germain can be capitalised by Monaco, and they will be able to offer the same Champions League football next season. Yet, the prestige of playing for a club like Manchester United may actually hold a lot of pull.
Info @AS_Monaco Tiemoue Bakayoko et son entourage ont refusé proposition de prolongation. Un peu de tension sur ce dossier
— Flo Fieschi (@FloFieschi) February 11, 2017
It seems that this potential transfer may be on the mind of the player. He has turned down a contract extension. Monaco are clearly nervous about the player only having a contract until the summer of 2019. This gives the potentially interested clubs like United a major advantage in the summer. Locking down the player to a five-year contract will allow Monaco to discuss the best possible transfer fee.
At 22 years of age, Bakayoko has transformed into an excellent defensive midfielder. He was brought to the club from Stade Rennais for just €8 million. Now, it is understood that Monaco value the player in excess of €35 million. Bakayoko has been rumoured to be the potential replacement for Michael Carrick, who is certainly on his last legs. A high-quality defensive midfielder is now a priority at Manchester United with many pundits and former players criticising the club’s decision not to go for N’Golo Kante in the summer.
N’Golo Kante joined Chelsea in a £30 million deal just after winning the league title with Leicester City. He has been a crucial influence on the Chelsea team, which has been flying high in the Premier league.
United have already confirmed that there would not be a significant shift in the transfer policy come the summer. Unlike in the recent seasons, the club will not be making a vast amount of signings in order to improve the squad. Instead, the turnout of players would be highly selective.
