Erik ten Hag could be forced to abandon Manchester United ’s January swoop for Bayer Leverkusen star Jeremie Frimpong after a huge World Cup blow.
The Red Devils have been linked with a move for the Dutch defender over recent days with a new right-back apparently a priority heading into the winter transfer window. Aaron Wan-Bissaka has fallen out of favour at Old Trafford and has consistently been rumoured to be on the way out of the club.
As per Sky Sport Deutschland, Frimpong is at the top of the Red Devils’ potential shopping list to replace him. It was suggested that United would open negotiations with his current employers Leverkusen as soon as January following the World Cup.
Frimpong is currently in Qatar with the Netherlands but is apparently open to ‘changing clubs’ at some point in the near future. There might be a considerable problem should United attempt to sign him though.
The 21-year-old exited Holland’s latest training session with a suspected injury. Images from ESPNnl showed him receiving treatment to his ankle, with his hands covering his face.
He was then helped from the session by a member of the Dutch medical staff and it remains to be seen whether he will be fit enough to play a role in the remainder of the tournament. Louis van Gaal ’s men finished as Group A winners with Tuesday afternoon’s victory over host nation Qatar. They come up against USA in the round of 16.
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Frimpong was named in the Dutch squad for the World Cup following an impressive season with Bayer Leverkusen, although he has yet to play a single minute at the tournament. The defender had made 21 appearances for the German side, scoring five goals and notching three assists.
Whilst United are eyeing Frimpong, they also have their eyes on one of his Dutch teammates currently starring in Qatar. PSV forward Cody Gakpo has been linked with a move to the Premier League on a number of occasions in the past but his price tag is expected to increase sharply having netted three goals already at the tournament.
Former United boss Van Gaal is predicting big things from the young forward in the future. Speaking after victory against Qatar, he said: "Cody is a very young player - he is 23 but looks younger. He has only been playing with PSV for two, three years and always played from the left.
"He did not want to play in the centre or at 10, but he did have to for me. Now he thinks I am a great head coach.
"Things can change but Cody has everything it takes to become a star. He has a wonderful personality to become a star player because he is open minded to anything and everything."
