MANCHESTER UNITED could end up being the biggest losers in Liverpool and Newcastle’s game of transfer ping-pong.
The champions and Eddie Howe’s Toon have been scrapping all week over Alexander Isak and Hugo Ekitike.
Ruben Amorim’s Manchester United could be the biggest losers in the battle to sign Hugo EkitikeGetty
GettyEikitke has been caught in a transfer war between Newcastle United and Liverpool[/caption]
With Newcastle standing firm on their stance that striker Isak is not for sale, Liverpool have now moved to gazump them for £86million-rated Ekitike.
And Man Utd could find themselves caught in the crossfire.
Newcastle had an opening bid of a club-record £69.5m knocked back by Frankfurt for Ekitike earlier this week.
And they have now walked away from the race after Liverpool agreed a six-year deal with the French frontman.
For Newcastle, that means turning their attention elsewhere.
And it is understood their new top target is Brentford forward Yoane Wissa.
It’s that move for Wissa that could have a detrimental impact on Man Utd’s transfer business.
United have already seen their own approach for Ekitike rebuffed this summer.
GettyBryan Mbeumo and Yoane Wissa’s exits from Brentford will likely be linked[/caption]
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And they could now miss out on long-term target Bryan Mbeumo too if Newcastle get his Bees team-mate Wissa.
United have had two bids rejected for Mbeumo this summer – with the latest believed to be worth north of £60m.
Curse of Frankfurt means Ekitike is a huge risk at £86.5million
AT £86.5million, Hugo Ekitike would be a sizeable gamble for Liverpool, writes Joe Bryant.
That’s because Premier League clubs should be wary of the Frankfurt curse.
The Germans have a knack of selling strikers at a massive profit, only for them to struggle at their next club.
Luka Jovic (£52m), Sebastien Haller (£42m), Randall Kolo Muani (£77m) and Andre Silva (£20m) definitely fall into the category of transfers where you wished you had kept the receipt.
Omar Marmoush does seem to have broken the hoodoo at Manchester City, although it is still early days at the Etihad.
And Liverpool will need Ekitike to hit the ground running if they want to defend their Prem crown.
United launched a belated third bid on Thursday.
But they could now find Mbeumo’s price rise even more – or Brentford refuse to do business at all – if Newcastle get a Wissa deal done first.
United have already spent a huge chunk of their summer pursuing Mbeumo, with their first bid arriving for the 25-year-old well over a month ago.
Of course, if Man Utd are able to get their deal over the line for Mbeumo quickly then it could be Newcastle who are met with challenges in their pursuit of Wissa.
Wissa, who scored 19 Premier League goals last term, has already received interest from other Prem clubs this summer.
Brentford have to be careful regarding exits following the decision to sell captain Christian Norgaard to Arsenal and the fact that long-term boss Thomas Frank has left to take charge of Spurs – taking three members of his backroom staff with him.
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