Manchester United face a fight with Bayern Munich to land RB Leipzig star Konrad Laimer.
The 24-year-old is regarded one of the Bundesliga 's best central midfielders and is a favourite of the Red Devils interim manager Ralf Rangnick. Laimer worked under Rangnick for a season at Leipzig in 2018-19 and the pair are set to cross paths at international level, as the outgoing United boss will soon begin his tenure as the head coach of Austria.
Preparing to vacate the Old Trafford dugout for incoming manager Erik ten Hag and take up a two-year consultancy role with the club, Rangnick had recommended that the Red Devils sign Laimer during the summer transfer window to kickstart a new era, only for Bayern to now join the battle for the £23million-rated dynamo.
According to reports, the German giants are preparing an opening bid of around £15.3m and Julian Nagelsmann, another former Leipzig boss, is keen to reunite with Laimer in Bavaria. With the midfielder out of contract in 2023, the Red Bull-backed club could be forced to sell this summer.
Other Premier League clubs also said to be interested in Laimer, who will be 25 later this month, but the Red Devils will be hoping to use Rangnick's personal touch to bring him to Old Trafford. United are desperate need of a player of his profile, with Nemanja Matic and Paul Pogba set to leave the midfield department light on numbers when their deals expire in June.
Laimer recently broke his silence on a potential departure from Leipzig and said: "As of now, I'm playing for RB Leipzig. My contract runs until 2023 and doesn't make sense to talk about [transfer rumours] in this current, decisive phase of the season. "Otherwise, there would only be unrest and I'd have to worry about things that aren't the most important right.
"I'll be 25 in May and have enough experience to make such decisions clearly. I need a good feeling. I have to like what people tell me. It's about the plan with me and with the team. Of course, it's also about goals. If I'm convinced of that, I'll do it. Every player and every situation is different.
"What happened to one player doesn't necessarily happen to another. Sometimes it also depends on what type of player you are and what makes you tick. Getting information is good, but I make decisions myself. I concentrate on myself, not on the way of others."
Rangnick confirmed upon taking the Austria job that he was still looking forward to making the Red Devils "a real force again" and will sit down with Ten Hag to discuss "building a new squad" at the end of the season.
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"I've been talking to the board quite regularly in the past, exchanging our impressions about the current situation," the 63-year-old explained. "But for me it's important that together with Erik, together with the scouting department, we can build a new squad, a new group.
"A new group of players with quality and mentality, and then Erik with his coaching staff will be a lot better. Then they can lead this club into areas and where it should be. Then the supporters will want to see Manchester United."
