Man Utd only €10m away from spectacular winger signing after Man City snatch their midfield target | OneFootball

Manchester United are only €10m away from signing Yan Diomande in perhaps the January window’s biggest deal, though Manchester City have beaten the Red Devils to a midfield gem and there’s a definitive update on Joshua Zirkzee’s future.

Man Utd quickly binned the 3-4-2-1 formation upon sacking Ruben Amorim, with the need to deploy potent wingers now back on the agenda.

Few wingers in world football are more in-demand than RB Leipzig’s Yan Diomande right now, and per multiple reports, United could pull off an incredible coup later this month.

Man Utd €10m away from Diomande coup

Diomande has emerged as one of the best young wingers in Europe, piquing the interest of Man Utd. Although Ruben Amorim is no longer the manager of Man Utd, the club’s co-owners, INEOS, are pressing ahead with their quest to sign the Ivory Coast international.

Sources have told TEAMtalk’s transfer insider, Graeme Bailey, that Man Utd have already spoken to Diomande’s camp in recent weeks to register their interest.

Transfer guru Fabrizio Romano has reported that Man Utd are “completely crazy” about signing Diomande, who has scored seven goals and given four assists in 16 appearances for Leipzig so far this season.

Then on January 5, AfricaFoot reported that Man Utd have ‘offered RB Leipzig €90million’ for Diomande.

The report claimed that Leipzig have even given permission to Man Utd to discuss contract details with the winger’s representatives.

That claim has not been verified by any other source, although a report published in CaughtOffSide on January 8 has revealed the transfer fee that Man Utd need to pay Leipzig for Diomande.

The report has noted that Leipzig are not actively looking to sell Diomande in the middle of the season and value him at €100million (£86.9m, $116.4m).

This means that if AfricaFoot’s report about Man Utd making a bid of €90m (£78.2m, $104.8m) for the winger is accurate, then the Premier League club need to increase their offer by just €10m (£8.7m, $11.6m) to get a deal done for the teenage winger in the middle of the season and make him their first major signing of the 2026 January transfer window.

Man City beat Man Utd to midfielder

Elsewhere, interim boss Darren Fletcher has failed with attempts to lure midfield gem, Keir McMeekin, to Old Trafford. Instead, Fabrizio Romano has revealed the talented youngster is heading across the city to the Etihad.

The Daily Record previously reported on Fletcher’s desire to work with fellow Scotsman McMeekin, who is on the books at Hearts.

The publication reported that Fletcher, as well as former Man Utd manager Sir Alex Ferguson, spoke to McMeekin to convince him to leave Hearts and move to the Premier League giants.

However, Fabrizio Romano has now revealed that Man City have won the race for the signature of McMeekin, who has passed his medical, and a deal has been done.

Romano wrote on X: “EXCL: Manchester City agree deal to sign Scottish top talent Keir McMeekin from Hearts, here we go!

“McMeekin was wanted by several top Premier League clubs, medical passed and contracts exchanged. Deal signed.”

Want more breaking transfer lines from original sources? Add TEAMtalk as a preferred source on Google to your favourites list for news you can trust.

Bye-bye Joshua Zirkzee

Finally, Man Utd have no plans to keep Joshua Zirkzee at the club and will allow him to join AS Roma in the January transfer window, despite the departure of Ruben Amorim as the manager, sources have told TEAMtalk.

We understand that Roma have received fresh assurances that Zirkzee is set to join the club this month.

The Serie A outfit had already informally agreed a loan proposal with Man Utd before Amorim was dismissed as the manager.

But that moment raised brief concerns that the managerial change could disrupt Roma’s plans.

However, communication between the parties is understood to have resumed on Wednesday, and Roma now believe the deal for the Man Utd forward can still be completed.

Roma would ideally like to sign Zirkzee on a permanent basis, and the prospect of returning to Serie A – where he previously impressed with Bologna – is understood to appeal to the player.

A loan move with an option to buy is still expected to be the most viable solution to complete the deal during this transfer window.