Manchester United have cooled their interest in Bologna striker Marko Arnautovic after former United legends expressed concerns over the signing.
United have previously signed Edinson Cavani and Odion Ighalo in the same category and it didn’t have the desired impact on the squad. The Red Devils had a bid of £7.6m rejected for the former West Ham United and Stoke City forward with United boss Erik ten Hag wanting the player.
After Sunday’s disappointment against Brighton & Hove Albion, United are looking to strengthen the squad with potential signings of Adrien Rabiot, Frenkie de Jong and Arnautovic.
Marko Arnautovic has previously worked with Jose Mourinho at Inter Milan in between unsuccessful spells at FC Twente and Werder Bremen. He was wanted by Mourinho during his time at United but the transfer didn’t materialize. He has worked with Ten Hag during his spell at Twente but a reunion seems unlikely.
The 6-foot 3-inch Austrian generally plays on the left wing but is equally comfortable playing on the right or through the middle. During his time in PL, fans saw some exciting displays of his quality and raw talent. He is a player that has promised so much in recent years but has been dogged by indiscipline and inconsistent play during his stints at West Ham and Stoke City.
Manchester United won’t sign Marko Arnautović this summer. Deal off and talks will not continue after opening bid turned down by Bologna. ⛔️🔴 #MUFC
Arnautović wanted the move but Man Utd decided internally against the deal. First call, @lauriewhitwell – it’s confirmed. pic.twitter.com/WVyb143znZ
— Fabrizio Romano (@FabrizioRomano) August 9, 2022
Bologna’s sporting director Marco Di Vaio mentioned the importance of the player to the team:
“We want to keep going with Arnautovic and keep him, he’s at the centre of our project. Bologna’s wish now is to keep our current team and strengthen it in order to have an important season. Money is not the issue, Marko is priceless for us.”
Behind the scenes. Bologna expected Manchester United to submit a new bid for Marko Arnautović later this week around €13/14m. But after fans complaints, Man Utd board told Bologna on Tuesday morning that the deal is off. 🔴❌ #MUFC
No chance to discuss again – it's 100% over.
— Fabrizio Romano (@FabrizioRomano) August 10, 2022
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United will now look at other attacking options in the market, and one player they are considering is Watford winger Ismaila Sarr. United were interested in signing Benjamin Sesko this summer but he’s yet another target that they’ve failed to land. RB Leipzig recently confirmed the signing of Sesko from sister club RB Salzburg.
United are running out of suitable centre-forward candidates. The market for a prolific centre-forward is obviously competitive and United might have to get creative. Sasa Kalajdzic, for example, is not the profile of a player usually linked with a move to Old Trafford, but his credentials are better than most available.
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