Ornstein confirms £170m double pursuit if top target goes elsewhere

Antoine Semenyo is among the targets at Man Utd

David Ornstein has revealed that Manchester United will pursue Antoine Semenyo and another Premier League forward if they are unsuccessful in landing Matheus Cunha from Wolverhampton Wanderers.

Man Utd head coach Ruben Amorim is desperately searching for attacking reinforcements to add more firepower to his team. The Red Devils have only scored 38 goals in 33 Premier League games so far this season, one of the main reasons why they have failed to get anywhere near to cracking the top 10.

Amorim wants Ipswich Town’s Liam Delap to replace Rasmus Hojlund at centre-forward, while he has identified Cunha as his main target for the No 10 position.

United officials recently held talks with Cunha’s entourage over a potential summer move, and they feel the meeting went positively.

Amorim’s side are now preparing to trigger the Brazilian’s £62.5million (€73m / $83m) release clause.

During an appearance on NBC Sports, The Athletic’s Ornstein confirmed that Cunha is United’s ‘main focus’ right now.

But if United miss out on the 25-year-old – Arsenal and Aston Villa have also been linked – then they will chase deals for Bournemouth’s Semenyo and Tyler Dibling of Southampton.

“The priority for United in this upcoming transfer window is attack,” Ornstein said. “They are looking at a centre-forward and a No 10 as their main focus.

“They want to get on with it pretty quickly. The finances are in place, as I understand it, to do the deals they would like to do. They do NOT depend on European football I’m told, nor on sales to necessitate them.

“Their main focus for the No 10 position is Matheus Cunha of Wolves. He has a £62.5m release clause. He wants to come, we’re told, but personal terms would still need to be agreed, which is not a formality. Let’s see if other clubs come in for him as well – but there is optimism at Old Trafford that they can land him.

“They have alternatives; the likes of Antoine Semenyo of Bournemouth and Tyler Dibling of Southampton, but Cunha is the one they are focusing on. It’s not close just yet, but I could see this one developing rapidly.”

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Semenyo, Dibling both tracked by Man Utd

It emerged last week that United are ‘frontrunners’ in the race for Semenyo, who has been given a £70m (€82m / $93m) price tag by Bournemouth.

The winger is also thought to be a target for Liverpool as Bournemouth brace themselves for a summer exodus.

Dibling is another highly rated player on United’s shortlist, having excelled during his debut season in the Premier League.

Sources have informed TEAMtalk that Tottenham Hotspur remain keen on the 19-year-old wide man after having a bid for him rejected in January.

Southampton believe Dibling has top-class potential and have been tipped to hold out for a whopping £100m (€117m / $133m) before selling him.

But interested clubs believe they can sign him for less than half that price, especially now that Southampton have been relegated.

Ornstein also shut down speculation that United are hoping to snare Victor Osimhen, reiterating that Delap is their No 1 striker target.

Man Utd transfers: Antony swap; surprise striker verdict

Meanwhile, United could offload Antony as part of a clever swap deal this summer, it has been claimed.

A former Old Trafford star has suggested that United’s problems could actually help in their bid to land a £30m attacker.

‘It’s meant to be a challenge…’

How has Cunha performed at his previous clubs?

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