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Former West Ham United striker Frank McAvennie has urged Manchester United to steer clear of Bayer Leverkusen defender Jeremie Frimpong due to his short stature and lack of defensive nous.
Frimpong, 21, has established himself as a crucial first-team starter at Leverkusen since arriving from Celtic for £10 million in January last year. Operating as a right wing-back, he has scored seven goals and laid out 13 assists in 68 games across competitions for his side.
A pacy dribbler renowned for his flair and crossing, Frimpong has recently popped up on the radar of Manchester United. As per reporter Florian Plettenberg, the Red Devils are set to hold discussions for the Netherlands U21 international after the end of the ongoing 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar.
Speaking to Football Insider, McAvennie said that Erik ten Hag's side would be wary of roping in Frimpong due to his short stature. He said:
"He is a good full-back. He is tiny, though. Coming up to the Premier League is a big difference; there are some big players now. Would Manchester United want him? He is great going forward ,but defensively, I do not know if United would be interested."
Sharing his thoughts on Frimpong, McAvennie continued:
"I think he is doing very well. United have been under a lot of pressure, teams are not scared of them anymore. At Leverkusen, they are on the front foot all the time; it was the same at Celtic, and he did well going forward. United are not that kind of team anymore."
McAvennie said that the Manchester City academy product would be a misfit for Manchester United given his offensive nature. He said:
"Somebody of his size, defending, he has to go to teams that are on the front foot and attacking all the time. It is going to take Manchester United a while to get back to that."
Frimpong is currently in Qatar with the Netherlands team but is yet to feature for Louis van Gaal's side at the 2022 FIFA World Cup.
Manchester United mulling over loan move for youngster in January - Reports
As per Manchester Evening News, Manchester United are reluctant to allow gifted midfielder Zidane Iqbal to depart on a short-term loan deal in January, considering their lack of depth in midfield.
With Casemiro, Christian Eriksen and Fred approaching 30, Iqbal is regarded as a future star at Old Trafford. He's expected to secure a season-long loan next summer to get first-team action.
Iqbal, 19, has emerged as one of the best talents at Old Trafford since the turn of the year. After joining the club's youth ranks in 2012, he made his senior-team debut during a 1-1 draw against BSC Young Boys in the UEFA Champions League group stage last season.
A versatile central operator blessed with flair and dribbling, Iqbal has been named on the bench on nine occasions under Ten Hag.
