Thiago Almada will leave Velez Sarsfield, the Argentine Primera Division club has confirmed.
The MEN understands Almada is on Manchester United's radar as a possible fall-back option on the right wing if they fail to snare Jadon Sancho from Borussia Dortmund. City came close to signing Almada last summer but the teenager ended up staying with Velez.
Such interest means Almada's club admit there is very little chance of keeping the player past this summer, and instead have promised to take a strong stance at the negotiating table.
“There’s no way to hold him," a member of Velez Sarsfield's board told ESPN. "To all the offers that are seen in the media, add one from the local market and two from Italy.
"We’re going to wait for the market to open so that we know what is real and who’s asking, and we’ll be as serious at the negotiating table as we have been since this administration began."
The MEN understands United's recruitment team are monitoring a raft of potential targets in case their interest in Sancho bears no fruit.
Young Wales duo David Brooks and Rabbi Matondo are among those alternatives and United are lining up other right-wing options.
The club view the position as a key area to strengthen this summer, after targeting weaknesses in the right-back, centre-back and attacking midfield roles in previous windows under Ole Gunnar Solskjaer.
Almada, 19, is understood to be attracting significant interest around Europe after starring for Velez Sarsfield in the Argentinian league.
