Manchester United scouts were in attendance to watch Hicham Boudaoui in action for Algeria last week with Ruben Amorim ‘desperate’ to sign players of his profile.
Amorim is working closely with newly-promoted Director of Football Jason Wilcox to rebuild an ailing squad which produced the worst season in living memory last term.
The focus is very much on attacking players in the transfer market, with Matheus Cunha already joining the club after the Red Devils triggered his £62.5m release clause to land him from Wolves.
They’ve had one bid rejected by Bryan Mbeumo by Brentford of £55m plus a further £10m in add-ons, and are considering an improved bid amid competition from Thomas Frank’s Tottenham.
Having been beaten to the signing of Liam Delap by Chelsea they’re also scouring the market for a new N0.9, though their pursuit of Viktor Gyokeres appears to have ended after the striker told them where to go.
But Amorim is also keen to add a new midfielder to his ranks with Christian Eriksen leaving at the end of his contract and amid doubts over the futures of Casemiro and Kobbie Mainoo.
With that in mind Red Devils officials were sent to watch Boudani in action for Algeria in their 4-3 friendly defeat to Sweden on Tuesday, according to The Sun.
The report claims Amorim is ‘desperate to bring players with a more physical profile to the Old Trafford and Boudaoui certainly fits the bill’.
The report adds:
‘Boudaoui is coming off an excellent season in France in which he emerged as one of the best in Ligue 1 in his position.
‘In figures published in April by Datascout, he came out on top among 49 defensive midfielders for sprinting speed, fourth for the number of accelerations and sixth for high-intensity distance covered.’
The 25-year-old is the second Nice star linked with a move to Old Trafford in the last week, with SPORTS ZONE claiming they are also interested in goalkeeper Marcin Bulka, who is thought to be available for £12.8m with his contract expiring at the end of next season.
The outlet wrote on X: ‘EXCL. Manchester United is now looking for a new GK. 25 yo OGC Nice GK Marcin Bułka among interests. Marcin Bulka is open to a move this summer as he has already asked to leave Nice.’
It comes as no surprise that United are looking to Nice in order to improve their squad given the Ligue 1 side are also owned by Sir Jim Ratcliffe, but any moves would have to wait until the last day of the transfer window on September 1 after UEFA put a ban on the multi-club transfers as a result of both teams competing in the Europa League together last season.
A report on Monday claimed United may not be looking to sign a new goalkeeper in any case, or not a new No.1 at least, as Amorim has decided to put his ‘trust’ in Andre Onana.
The Portuguese boss has ‘conveyed to the board his intention to count on him as a key piece in his project’ and ‘does not contemplate any other alternative’.
It’s claimed Amorim still sees Onana as the ‘ideal profile’ to build from the back thanks to his ‘technical conditions and ability to play with his feet’.
He insists that Onana can ‘redeem himself with a more solid structure and a well-defined idea of the game’.