Man Utd linked with shock move for Wales starlet Rabbi Matondo after Jadon Sancho setback — reports
Wednesday 5th August 2020
Ole Gunnar Solskjaer's side are willing to walk away from the deal and are said to have lined up the promising Wales star as one of two alternatives
Manchester United are ready to walk away from a deal for Jadon Sancho over Borussia Dortmund's 'unrealistic' £108million valuation and could instead go in for Wales starlet Rabbi Matondo, according to reports.
United's pursuit of England international Sancho has been one of the protracted transfer sagas of the year, but it appeared the Old Trafford outfit had made a big breakthrough when it was widely reported they were willing to meet Dortmund's lofty valuation.
However, the MEN report United are prepared to walk away from a deal for the winger, with the likes of Schalke's Matondo and Bayern Munich's Kingsley Coman being lined up as potential alternatives.
The Manchester club are thought to be wary of Sancho's high wage demands, given the money they wasted on Alex Sanchez and the financial fallout of coronavirus, and are said to be weighing up more cost-appropriate options.
Sources close to Matondo, who has four Wales caps to his name, there had indeed been contact between United and the player's representative.
Sancho's seemingly nailed-on move had put paid to a switch for the Welshman.
It is believed, however, that Dortmund want United to get the deal completed by August 10, but the two clubs are still said to be miles away in their valuations of the player.
A move for Bayern's Coman, if that is the alternative route United want to go down, would again prove costly, given he is fully established over in Germany and a fully-fledged France international.
Matondo, who scored twice in 19 Bundesliga appearances for Schalke this season, would represent a far cheaper option.
United have previously leaned on Ryan Giggs for advice over signing young wingers, with the Wales boss having spoken with Solskjaer about former Swansea City flyer Daniel James ahead of his £15m move to Manchester last summer.
And it is thought Giggs will have been sounded out over Matondo, too, with the 19-year-old now very much in the frame after this latest setback.
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