Michael Kayode: Man Utd join €60m transfer race as move ‘inevitable’

Manchester United have joined the race for Brentford full-back Michael Kayode, who is destined to secure an “important transfer” before long.

The Italy youth international has been sensational for the Bees since joining on an initial loan from Fiorentina 12 months ago. At the time, Arsenal were linked with a move for Kayode, but Brentford managed to secure his signature by showing him a clear pathway to regular football.

His move was made permanent in the summer, and the 21-year-old has gone from strength to strength. Kayode has been excellent for Keith Andrews’ surprising European challengers, with his long throws proving a devastating weapon even if he has yet to officially pick up a goal contribution.

A transfer to a major club won’t be long in coming. Kayode’s representatives have made no secret of the fact that they believe the youngster can go to the very top. “In the future, I see him taking another step towards a top club,” Andrea Ritorni, head of scouting of the player’s agency, said in October.

That same month, Ritori’s colleague, Claudio Vigorelli, echoed this sentiment. “Let’s enjoy this great moment he is having, but it is inevitable that if he continues with this trend, something important will arrive for him,” the agent said.

Man Utd join Kayode race

TEAMtalk now claims that Man Utd are the latest club to show an interest in the Brentford sensation. Man City had already been tracking him as an alternative to Newcastle defender Tino Livramento, while the Magpies see him as a perfect replacement for the 23-year-old.

Obviously, Brentford will not make life easy for Kayode’s suitors. The protracted Bryan Mbeumo saga last summer showed that the Bees will not offer discounts on their star players.

Indeed, the report claims that Kayode has had a hefty price tag of around €60 million slapped on his head. This is a significant premium on his current Estimated Transfer Value (ETV) of €36.7m.

Man Utd are weighing up signing a new right-back in the summer because of concerns over Diego Dalot’s long-term future. Real Madrid are said to be keen on the Portuguese. Noussair Mazraoui was also the subject of interest in January.

For now, Kayode remains settled at Brenford. The Italian, who will surely make his senior national team debut before long, is not agitating for a move, but the comments from his representatives suggest that he could be on the move this summer.

Football transfer news headlines today

Liverpool sold the world’s best player – and now Arne Slot is paying the price

Marcus Rashford transfer decision: Barcelona make easy €30m call

Viktor Gyokeres faces Arsenal bomb: €65m signing told he’s not trusted

Chelsea reactivate striker deal as Rosenior seeks Delap replacement

The FootballTransfers app

Check out FootballTransfers’ new app for all of football’s big storylines, transfer rumours and exclusive news in one convenient place directly on your mobile device.

The FootballTransfers app is available on Google Play and in the Apple App Store. Download here:

•Google Play

•App Store