Manchester United are expected to miss out on Championship prospect Yisa Alao.
Over the past year, Manchester United have looked as far afield as Paraguay and Colombia to sign two exciting young talents.
That doesn’t mean that United are ignoring the domestic market though, recently swooping to sign Derby County prospect Charlie Hardy.
One player the club have been tracking is Sheffield Wednesday defender Yisa Alao.
The Daily Mail reported in late December that United submitted an offer worth in the region of £450,000 to sign Alao.
It may not be enough, with Chelsea now moving to the front of the queue.
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Chelsea lead race to sign Yisa Alao
Chelsea have now moved ahead of Manchester United in the race to sign Yisa Alao, according to The Sheffield Star.
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It is claimed Chelsea have offered a ‘high six-figure’ bid for Alao, above the £450,000 on the table from United.
Alao has six first team appearances to his name for the Owls, making his debut earlier this season.
Chelsea are also including ‘hefty add-ons’ as part of the deal. City and Liverpool have also been watching developments.
A deal is not concluded yet for the 17-year-old left-back, but it appears that Chelsea are the clear frontrunners now.
United would need to submit an improved offer to take command of the situation.
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Yisa Alao move did not feel like a priority
It is relatively cheap to take a punt on a young player, but a move for Yisa Alao never really felt like it should be a priority for United.
Firstly, United sent Harry Amass out on loan to Sheffield Wednesday in the summer, who is one year older than Alao and further along in his development.
Amass has now returned from his loan move, with negotiations ongoing over his future.
Beyond that, United also signed left-back Diego Leon last summer, with the teenager playing for the club’s under-21 side.
Adding Alao into the mix might have been healthy competition, but United have two very talented prospects for the position already.
Chelsea no doubt have their own prospects of course, but they are prepared to pay more for Alao than United are. Time will tell if the investment is worthwhile.
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