Man Utd look to ‘close operation’ for Atletico star after ‘ideal’ £61m Rashford replacement ‘identified’ | OneFootball

Manchester United have ‘identified’ a Premier League star as the ‘ideal’ £61m replacement for Marcus Rashford and are ‘preparing’ a £35m ‘offer’ for a versatile Atletico Madrid star.

Rashford looks set to join Barcelona at the end of the season after impressing on loan for the Catalans as the La Liga side are looking at ways to avoid paying the £26m permanent transfer fee through various swap deals.

The Red Devils are currently enjoying a dramatic uptick in form after sacking Ruben Amorim and replacing him with Michael Carrick, who’s staking his claim to be named permanent boss at the end of the season.

But whether Carrick is handed the reins on a full-time basis or not, United continue to scour the transfer market for new players in their bid to return to former glory.

A central midfielder is a priority, with reports suggesting they are currently choosing between Crystal Palace’s Adam Wharton, Nottingham Forest’s Elliot Anderson and Brighton star Carlos Baleba as their top target, but they’re also looking to add a new forward to their ranks.

A report from journalist Fraser Fletcher for our pals at TEAMtalk claimed on Thursday that Man Utd are the ‘frontrunners’ to sign Everton star Iliman Ndiaye, who has a ‘huge price tag’ of £70m.

Spanish outlet Fichajes have confirmed the Red Devils have ‘identified’ Ndiaye, not just as a top addition to their squad, but as an ‘ideal’ replacement for Rashford, valued at €70m [£61m] according to the report.

United have ‘intense’ interest in the Senegal international, who moved to Everton from Marseille for £15m in the summer of 2024, and his arrival would represent a ‘definitive declaration of intent’ for United.

Fichajes also claim that United have ‘set their sights’ on Atletico Madrid’s Marcos Llorente as ‘a priority for the next campaign’.

The 31-year-old’s contract expires in 2027 and the report claims United ‘intend to take advantage aggressively’ by making a  ‘€40m [£35m] offer’.

Llorente operates chiefly at right-back but has been used in multiple midfield positions by Diego Simeone, and its claimed that versatility is a huge draw for United, who ‘wait impatiently for Atletico to respond to their offer’.

The report adds: