Man United fighting with fierce rivals to land “gifted” playmaker who can transform Michael Carrick’s attack | OneFootball

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Manchester United’s defence has let Michael Carrick down this season, but the attack is not devoid of blame.

The front four failed to break down Manchester City despite them being down to 10 men for over 75 minutes.

The number of chances spurned is another concern, with Marcus Rashford and Bryan Mbeumo guilty of missing glorious chances to turn the game around against Brighton and City.

Benjamin Sesko is yet to start firing while Matheus Cunha looks a shadow of his former self so far.

Ibrahim Maza on United’s radar

This is exactly why the head coach wanted to bring in another attacking force in the summer, but INEOS failed to move on the ineffective Joshua Zirkzee, which meant an attacking addition never materialised.

But the co-owners seem to have realised their mistake and as per Fussball News, the Red Devils are looking to sign Ibrahim Maza from Bayer Leverkusen.

The 20-year-old is primarily an attacking midfielder, but can also play out wide on either flank or even as a central midfielder.

Such versatility would be a huge asset for the 20-time English league champions, with the Algerian netting five goals last season and registering seven assists.

City, Arsenal also in the race

The Berlin-born attacker has started the new season in red-hot fashion as well, netting once and providing two assists already.

United have sent scouts to watch the “gifted” playmaker but they will not have it easy given the presence of Manchester City, Arsenal and Atletico Madrid in the race.

“Ibrahim Maza has quickly attracted the attention of numerous top European clubs while playing for Bayer Leverkusen. The 20-year-old is now being scouted by several heavyweights from England and Spain. The Premier League, in particular, has its eye on the Algerian international.

“According to information from fussball-news.de, Arsenal, Manchester City, and Manchester United are closely monitoring Maza’s development. Atlético Madrid is also interested in the attacking midfielder. City and Atlético are reportedly already in contact with the player’s representatives to stay informed about his progress and situation at Leverkusen.”

Ibrahim Maza asking price revealed

Leverkusen have Ibrahim Maza tied down until 2030, so they are in no hurry to sell. They signed the Algerian international for around £10 million.

The German club are looking to earn as much as £60 million from his sale in the future plus a sell-on clause and other add-ons. Premier League clubs should have no problem paying such a fee, but whether United can afford such a splurge is not yet clear.

They have plans of revamping the backline next summer, so it remains to be seen how much they can spare to strengthen the attack. INEOS’ Premier League-proven policy could prove to be another hindrance.