Manchester United are in the market to sign French forward Kader Meite.
Next season Manchester United will need more than Bryan Mbeumo and Benjamin Sesko to lead the line, with the club seeking to compete on multiple fronts.
Rasmus Hojlund will be sold to Napoli, and United are currently in talks with Rennes to sign French wonderkid Kader Meite.
The Guardian reported United’s interest in Meite, following previous speculation from French sources. There is competing interest from Al-Hilal, with a speculated fee of £26 million, 30m Euros.
Here is everything you need to know about the 18-year-old forward…
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Kader Meite key facts
Full name: Mohamed Kader Meite
Date of birth: 11/10/2007
Place of birth: Creteil, France
Citizenship: France, Ivory Coast
Height: 6 ft 4″
Club: Rennes
Kader Meite milestones
Kader Meite made his Ligue 1 debut for Rennes in November 2024, one month after he turned 17.
Meite netted his first professional goal in April 2025, netting a 86th minute winner to secure a 2-1 win over Nantes. He was still only 17.
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In 2025/26, Meite has scored three goals and provided two assists in 19 appearances. Only four of his 19 appearances have been starts. Meite averages a goal involvement every 106 minutes.
He has five career goals for Rennes in 29 total appearances. Two of these goals have been headers, one with his right foot and two with his left.
Kader Meite’s contract
Kader Meite is under contract with Rennes until the end of June 2028.
International record
Meite has represented France at under-16, under-17, under-19 and under-21 level. He made his under-21 debut in October 2025 and has three appearances.
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What Kader Meite’s manager says
Kader Meite is currently playing under Rennes boss Habib Beye, a former Newcastle United defender.
Beye has previously praised Meite’s positioning, urging him to build on this by developing his all-around game.
“He knows how to stay in the box and use his physique. He scores goals, but he needs to improve in his link-up play and his movement.
“We know that if we put balls in the box, he’ll be present.”
Meite averages 3.4 aerial duels per 90 minutes. These statistics place him inside the top 12 per cent of players in Ligue 1.
Beye has tried not to put too much responsibility on Meite, relying on the team’s more experienced strikers.
He explained: “He’s going to learn quickly, but he needs to be relieved of this pressure. It is good that we have forwards of a greater pedigree at the club [like Breel Embolo] because that is what he needs to improve.”
Kader Meite’s rave reviews
Analysis from Scouted Ftbl has described Kader Meite as ‘the most exciting centre-forward prospect in Europe’
Talent scout Jacek Kulig has also labelled Meite as an ‘elite talent’ and ‘modern target man’.
Achievements
Meite led Rennes to win the Coupe Gambardella, the French equivalent of the FA Youth Cup. He scored 7 goals in 10 games in 2024/25 to fire his team to silverware.
The Manchester United connection
Kader Meite is a France under-21 teammate of Manchester United centre-back Leny Yoro, who also played for his former club.
Yoro left Rennes to sign for Manchester United in 2024. They did not play together competitively for the Ligue 1 side, instead later doing so twice at France under-21 level.
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