Besiktas striker Vincent Aboubakar said he held talks with Manchester United over a January switch before the club turned to loan recruit Wout Weghorst.
The Cameroon star was the player who made way at Al-Nassr so Cristiano Ronaldo could fit within the club’s overseas quota. The Portugal hero’s Old Trafford exit left Erik ten Hag searching for a new frontman in the winter window.
Burnley forward Weghorst was ultimately landed after his season-long loan at Besiktas was ended early via a compensation package. But, according to Aboubakar, United had explored the possibility of bringing him in instead.
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The 31-year-old Canal Plus (via Sporx): “Before signing for Besiktas, I was also in talks with Manchester United and Atletico Madrid. After the talks, I said to Besiktas; ‘If you give me what I want, it won’t be a problem for me to come back’. And I returned to Besiktas.”
Aboubakar enjoyed two stints at Besiktas before making the switch to the Saudi Pro League in 2021.
He was the face of Cameroon’s World Cup campaign, scoring twice in Qatar including a memorable stoppage-time winner against Brazil which led to his sending off after receiving a second yellow for his shirt-off celebration.
Meanwhile, United are not expected to make Weghorst’s loan deal permanent. The Dutchman has two goals in 29 games and Ten Hag prefers to use funds for a chase of a world class striker, Harry Kane being the primary target.
United have been linked with an unexpected move for unsettled Paris Saint-Germain star Neymar. Ten Hag played a straight bat when asked about the transfer possibility in his press conference ahead of Chelsea on Thursday.
"When we have news we will tell you,” he said. The manager is also after a young midfielder this summer.
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