£85M Rated Forward Fails To Agree New Contract As Man Utd, Arsenal And Other PL Clubs Watch On
Man Utd transfer target Christian Kofane has put contract talks with Bayer Leverkusen on hold, according to reports in the German media.
Sport Bild (via Bulinews.com) claim that the discussions broke down after the 20-year-old requested a higher signing-on bonus.
Kofane was reportedly happy with the basic salary and the release clause, but after consulting several representatives, the player has decided not to put pen to paper on the new deal.
The decision will undoubtedly alert United and several other Premier League clubs who have been keeping an eye on his situation.
Kofane’s agent believes he is “worth €100m”
Speaking about the interest being shown in the striker back in April, Kofane’s representative Eric Depolo was keen to talk up his value:
“He is a player worth €100m (£85m).”
It’s very unlikely that Kofane will end up going for such a high price, with Leverkusen expected to sanction his sale for a lower fee.
However, interest in the Cameroon international is high. Depolo has previously said that Arsenal are a “genuine” suitor, while Everton, Newcastle United and Aston Villa have been linked in reports over the past few months.
Do Man Utd need another No. 9?
There is a good argument for bringing in an additional striker during the next transfer window. There remain serious doubts about the future of Joshua Zirkzee, who could return to Italy in the New Year.
Benjamin Sesko’s injury problems add further weight to the idea that a new No.9 should be brought in. Some have suggested that the Red Devils should be pursuing a more experienced option such as Crystal Palace’s Jean-Philippe Mateta or Al-Ahli’s Ivan Toney, but Director of Football Jason Wilcox and the recruitment team have tended to go for younger players, and Kofane would certainly fit the profile.