Manchester United are monitoring Bournemouth duo Junior Kroupi and Marcos Senesi ahead of what is shaping up to be a summer of change at the Vitality Stadium.
It was confirmed on Tuesday that manager Andoni Iraola – who has been linked with the United job – will leave the Cherries at the end of the season, and he is unlikely to be the only departure.
Kroupi is attracting interest from a number of Premier League clubs, notably Liverpool and Chelsea, as well as teams in Spain. The talented 19-year-old forward is well known to United after scoring the equaliser in Bournemouth’s 4-4 draw at Old Trafford and again in the 2-2 draw on the south coast last month.
Meanwhile, Senesi will leave the Vitality at the end of the season after four years, and the 28-year-old Argentina centre back is of interest to United and other clubs because he will be a free agent. Chelsea and Tottenham, if they stay up, are also expected to be in contention.
Among the other players on United’s radar this summer are two youngsters: Jeremy Monga, the 16-year-old Leicester City winger, and Kennet Eichhorn, also 16, who plays as a defensive midfielder for Hertha Berlin.
Head coach Michael Carrick has confirmed that United’s bid for Champions League qualification will shape the club’s transfer strategy. Despite Monday’s surprise defeat by Leeds, United are well on course to finish in the top-five.
Bournemouth defender Marcos Senesi (left) and talented young striker Junior Kroupi (right) are both on Manchester United’s radar ahead of the summer
‘The Champions League just brings so many positive things,’ said Carrick. ‘It’s where we want to be. It has ramifications for so many different things – players staying, players coming in, financially all sorts of different things.
‘There’s obviously work that’s going into planning for the summer, there has to be. If you finish in certain places in the league, financially, it makes a lot of difference.
‘But there’s certainly work going on in terms of what can be done in trying to move forward in improving the squad and making the best of what we’ve got.’
Harry’s waiting game
Having launched an appeal against Lisandro Martinez’s red card in the loss to Leeds at Old Trafford on Monday night, United are still waiting to find out if Harry Maguire’s ban will be extended.
Martinez returned from a two-month injury lay-off to replace Maguire in central defence, but was sent off in the second half for pulling Dominic…