Man Utd dealt fresh blow as ideal Sancho replacement makes transfer stance clear

20 October 2023 , 19:46

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Man Utd dealt fresh blow as ideal Sancho replacement makes transfer stance clear

Manchester United's hopes of landing a Premier League proven replacement for Jadon Sancho have been dealt a huge blow with the news that Brighton star Kaoru Mitoma has penned a new long-term deal.

The Red Devils are among those to be linked with the Seagulls star, who has continued to excel at the Amex Stadium. Brighton have been willing to part with their top stars, offloading Moises Caicedo and Alexis Mac Allister in the summer for big fees.

However they've tied down Mitoma for the long haul leaving United to look elsewhere if they want to add firepower and creativity in January. That could well be the case with Sancho's time at Old Trafford seemingly coming to an end amid his ongoing stand-off with Erik ten Hag.

The winger has been frozen out after publicly challenging his manager, who left him out of the defeat at Arsenal. Ten Hag has shown no willingness to bring Sancho back into the fold and Borussia Dortmund have been cited as a destination for the Englishman come the New Year.

United though may seek to bring in a replacement with several of Ten Hag's options by no means firing on all cylinders. The likes of Anthony Martial and Antony have struggled in front of goal and the Red Devils need to add more quality to their attack.

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Mitoma would've done that but the Japan international will now remain at Brighton. That said, the Seagulls saw Caicedo sign a new deal in the New Year, just months before he left for Chelsea, but the fresh contract allowed the south coast outfit to demand top dollar.

Kaoru Mitoma's stock is on the rise (Clive Mason/Getty Images)

The 26-year-old scored ten times last term as Brighton secured European football for the first time ever and already he's notched three times this season. Roberto De Zerbi has said on Mitoma's decision to stay put: “It’s great news. Kaoru is our top player.”

The club's technical director David Weir added, “Ensuring that a player of Kaoru’s quality will remain with us for the long term is fantastic news. Kaoru adapted to the Premier League last season and has quickly become one of our most important players.

“His success also reflects the work of the departments that played a role in his recruitment, helping him gain important experience on loan and ultimately becoming a big part of Roberto’s first-team group. I have no doubt that our supporters will be delighted with the news.”

Samuel Meade