Manchester United's pursuit of a new striker during the summer transfer window took an unexpected turn when their bid for Brighton star Evan Ferguson was reportedly "laughed off."
According to new reports, United's chief, John Murtough, had set his sights on Ferguson as a potential target but was left red-faced after the bid was rejected. Eventually, United settled on signing Rasmus Hojlund from Atalanta for £72 million.
The search for a goalscorer for Erik ten Hag led United to explore options such as Victor Osimhen and Harry Kane. However, the price tags associated with those players exceeded what the club was willing or able to pay.
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As a result, United turned their attention to meeting Atalanta's asking price for Hojlund and eventually struck a deal for the Denmark international, who has made two Premier League appearances after recovering from an injury. But things could have turned out differently for the Red Devils.
ESPN reports (via the Express) that the club made a £50 million bid for Ferguson, which was promptly rejected by Brighton. The Seagulls, known for getting maximum value from their assets, apparently "laughed off" the offer.
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Brighton knew they would sell in-demand players like Alexis Mac Allister, Robert Sanchez and Moises Caicedo to fund their own transfer activities and were not keen on completely rebuilding their squad ahead of their debut in the Europa League. Ferguson, the 18-year-old Republic of Ireland striker, has made an impressive start to his career in the Premier League.
He has scored four goals in five appearances this season after netting 10 times in all competitions last campaign. Manchester City and Chelsea have also been linked with Ferguson recently.
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Brighton secured Ferguson's future by offering him a lucrative contract extension earlier this year. Speculation has suggested that his future transfer fee could reach around £150 million.
While this would be a significant investment for any side, United might be more inclined to pay such a fee if potential buyers like Sheikh Jassim or Sir Jim Ratcliffe manage to wrestle the club out of the Glazers' clutches.
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