Manchester United’s scouts have the enviable job of travelling around the world looking for players to sign.
Over the past decade, scouts from Carrington have been largely ignored in their calls for talented young players to be signed.
Moises Caicedo, Erling Haaland and Virgil van Djik are just some of the players who got away from Manchester United.
This is all promising to change, with the arrival of Ineos seeing trust placed in the footballing department to find the stars of tomorrow amid financial constraints United find themselves in.
Already we have seen this in practice with the signing of Sekou Kone being a prime example of the business United are now aiming to do.
Now, scouts have been busy once again.
Photo by Mustafa Yalcin/Anadolu via Getty Images
Photo by Mustafa Yalcin/Anadolu via Getty Images
Manchester United had scouts watching Yusuf Akcicek against Rangers
United signed Ayden Heaven from Arsenal in January, yet it seems another young central defender could be in the plans this coming summer.
It has been reported that United are in talks to sign Juan Gimenez from Rosario. But scouts have been watching another option.
As the Europa League round of 16 got underway on Thursday, United scouts were in Istanbul to watch Jose Mourinho’s Fenerbahce face Rangers.
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This came according to journalist, Yagiz Sabuncuoglu, who claimed one particular player was the target of this scouting trip.
It was 19-year-old centre-back, Yusuf Akcicek, who United went to scout, a player Tottenham Hotspur has also been trying to scout recently.
The Turkey defender is currently in the midst of his breakout campaign under Mourinho, who has heralded the teenager as potentially the next Raphael Varane, as quoted by Mail Online.
“He was amazing. I’m very proud of him and I trust him. He’s not perfect but he will be perfect. I don’t want to compare him to Rapha Varane because Rapha Varane has won four Champions Leagues, World Cup and won everything.
“But I had Rapha Varane when he was 18 and I was not wrong. And I am not wrong with this kid. (He has a) big personality and is very confident.”
How Yusuf Akcicek played against Rangers in the Europa League
With United scouts watching, it was a big opportunity for Akcicek to shine for Fenerbahce, but he failed to do so.
The occasion may have gotten to the 19-year-old as he lasted just 45 minutes before Mourinho took him off at half-time with the defender failing to do much… defending.
Yusuf Akcicek stats vs Rangers
Stat Vs. Rangers
Minutes 45
Accurate passes 40/42 (95%)
Touches 43
Tackles won 0/0
Clearances 0
Interceptions 0
Defensive actions 0
Recoveries 2
Duels won 0/0
It was a very unconvincing performance from Akcicek in what was a big vote of confidence from Mourinho to start him in such a high-stakes game.
It was a heavy home defeat for Fenerbahce in the first leg and we would imagine Mourinho will be reluctant to start him in the second leg.
United scouts won’t have reported favourably, and it could effectively rule him out with other options likely to be more impressive.