Manchester United are reportedly reigniting their interest in Jamaican winger Leon Bailey as they search for a new forward. This renewed focus on Bailey follows the club's initial scouting of him back in 2016, when Jim Lawlor, then chief scout for United, observed the player during a match in which he scored for Genk in a 3-1 victory over Sassuolo. This information was highlighted in a recent article by The Mirror.
Since leaving Genk in 2017, Bailey opted for a move to Bayer Leverkusen, where he enjoyed over four years before making the switch to the Premier League with Aston Villa. Now 27 years old, Bailey has emerged as a serious contender for a transfer to Old Trafford. However, he is not the only forward under consideration by United.
According to The Athletic, Bailey is one of three attacking players being evaluated by Manchester United. French forward Christopher Nkunku has also been linked with the club, as he appears keen to depart Chelsea. Additionally, United are reportedly in a position to outbid Arsenal for Mathys Tel, who has turned down an approach from Tottenham Hotspur. While United is inclined towards a loan arrangement for Tel, Arsenal is closely monitoring the situation following Spurs' interest in a permanent deal. Bayern Munich's sporting director, Christoph Freund, commented on Tel's situation, stating, “Mathys is extremely connected to the club. He loves being here. It's quite possible that he will still be a Bayern Munich player on Tuesday.”
Should Bailey become United's primary target, his potential transfer would be distinct from Aston Villa's ongoing interest in Marcus Rashford. Recent reports suggest that Rashford has bid farewell to his teammates, with an official announcement regarding his future expected soon.
In other transfer news, United have completed their first signing of the window by acquiring Ayden Heaven from Arsenal. Heaven, a young centre-back with only one senior appearance for the Gunners, was welcomed by the club’s technical director, Jason Wilcox, who remarked, "We are delighted that Ayden has joined Manchester United. He is already an extremely talented defender who is ready to join our first-team squad."
Following Heaven's arrival, Danish defender Patrick Dorgu is anticipated to join United imminently, with reports indicating that he did not travel with his Lecce teammates for their Serie A match against Parma, which Lecce won 3-1.
Despite ongoing discussions surrounding Bailey and other potential signings, Alejandro Garnacho's future at the club appears secure. Both Chelsea and Napoli have expressed interest in the Argentine winger, but his current manager, Amorim, has made it clear that he wishes for Garnacho to remain. "He understands sometimes that I'm a different coach, that I'm demanding in my way; sometimes it's hard the first impact," Amorim noted. "It's a different kind of coach and he understands that it's never in a bad way, it's always for him, but I'm a different person. I think all the merit is from Garnacho and he is improving, and we want to continue to improve with Garnacho."
As the transfer window progresses, the developments surrounding Bailey and other targets will be closely watched, particularly by those at Aston Villa, who will be keen to maintain their squad's strength while navigating the complexities of the market.