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Manchester United prepare for their return to the second tier of European football with a UEFA Europa League clash against Real Sociedad. While the Red Devils were initially scheduled to play La Real in Spain, the game has been shifted to the Allianz Stadium in Turin due to COVID restrictions currently in place. They will be up against former academy prodigy Adnan Januzaj, who has been one of the most impressive players in the UEL so far.
Ahead of their game, here is some of the latest Manchester United news.
Mason Greenwood signs new contract
Manchester United have announced that academy product Mason Greenwood has signed a new long-term deal at the club. The English forward has been tied down to a contract until 2025 with the option of a further year. Greenwood, who has already made a staggering 82 appearances for the club at the age of 19, is regarded highly by Manchester United and Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, who has been instrumental in the striker's development.
Speaking after Greenwood's contract renewal, Solskjaer expressed;
"Mason [Greenwood] is a fantastic talent and yet another fine example of the type of player that our Academy produces. He has made great progress this season, showing real maturity and adaptability to his game, which has seen him develop into one of the best young players in the country."
Greenwood made his debut for the club back in 2019 and has been a regular since the second half of last year, becoming Manchester United's youngest-ever scorer in European competitions.
Manchester United identify Andre Silva as Erling Haaland alternative
Eintracht Frankfurt star Andre Silva has been identified as the latest target for Manchester United ahead of the summer window, as per Sky Sports Germany. After a couple of unsuccessful loan spells across different leagues, the Portuguese star has found his scoring form in Germany and is only behind Robert Lewandowski on the scoring charts this year with 18 goals.
The report suggests that Manchester United could look to sign the Eintracht Frankfurt striker for a fee close to €30m as an alternative to Erling Haaland. However, with Borussia Dortmund likely to command a fee near the €100m mark for their in-demand superstar, Silva could prove to be a cheaper solution to Manchester United's search for a long-term striker. It is also believed that Atletico Madrid are interested in signing the 25-year-old former AC Milan man.
Red Devils set to battle PSG for Jules Kounde
In what could be one of the biggest transfer sagas of the summer window, reports suggest that Manchester United and Paris Saint-Germain will go head-to-head to sign Jules Kounde from Sevilla FC. The Frenchman is regarded as one of the best defenders in the world this year, and at just 22 years of age, he could go on to become even better.
Manchester United have earmarked Kounde as the ideal long-term partner for Harry Maguire and are willing to pay up to €70m to bring him to England from Seville. While PSG are said to be open to paying Sevilla the full €90m release clause in Kounde's contract, they will need to offload Kylian Mbappe to Real Madrid first. This gives Solskjaer's men the edge as they do not need to sell to make a high-profile purchase.
Real Madrid also retain an interest in Kounde, albeit their stance on the Frenchman will depend on Sergio Ramos' future. Raphael Varane's future has also come into question in recent weeks, and should either one of the two players leave, Kounde will be the first-choice replacement.
