Manchester United are "monitoring" Jeremie Frimpong for a potential transfer swoop, with the Bayer Leverkusen right-back currently "considering his options", according to Sky Sports reporter Florian Plettenberg.
What's the latest Man United transfer news?
Sky Sports reporter Dharmesh Sheth has recently revealed that Man United view a new goalkeeper and striker as their priority targets this summer amid David de Gea's recent exit.
Sheth confirmed the Red Devils are focusing on new signings from the Serie A, having made their move to sign Inter goalkeeper Andre Onana, while they are "continuing to work" on a deal for Atalanta striker Rasmus Hojlund.
Although the position is not high on Erik ten Hag's list of priorities, United have also been linked with several right-backs this summer, having previously put in an offer to sign AS Monaco's Vanderson.
At one stage, Man United were in pole position to sign Paris Saint-Germain's Achraf Hakimi, though rivals Manchester City have also joined the race, with Pep Guardiola said to be a big fan of the Morocco international.
As such, Ten Hag may choose to turn his attentions elsewhere, with Plettenberg now claiming the Red Devils are "monitoring" the situation of Frimpong, who has also been linked with a move to Arsenal.
The Sky Sports reporter makes it clear that the next steps United take will "depend on the new owners", with the Glazers currently considering a bid from Sir Jim Ratcliffe, as well as the Qatari-led offer from Sheikh Jassim Bin Hamad Al Thani.
22-year-old Frimpong is yet to make a decision about his future, and he is currently "considering his options", with Bayer Leverkusen set to hold out for a fee of £35m, as he is viewed as a key player by manager Xabi Alonso.
How good is Jeremie Frimpong?
The former Celtic man was hailed by ex-Hoops boss Neil Lennon following their triumph in the 2019 Scottish League Cup final, with the manager saying: “He set a real standard for the rest of the team, him and Kristoffer Ajer. I thought Ajer was brilliant, and then obviously Fraser as well, but Frimpong – he’s a top, top player and you can see his mentality as well. He doesn’t seem to fear anything.”
Since leaving Celtic, the Dutchman has gone on to impress even more for Leverkusen, particularly in an attacking sense, ranking in the 99th percentile for successful take-ons per 90 in the past year when compared to his positional peers (as per FBref).
Last season, the Amsterdam-born full-back weighed in with a very impressive eight goals and seven assists in 34 Bundesliga outings, amassing the most assists of any Leverkusen player in all competitions.
Frimpong is a fantastic modern right-back, averaging a 7.12 match rating in the Bundesliga last season (as per WhoScored) – the second-highest figure in the squad – but there are surely question marks over whether he should be a key target for United.
Given that Ten Hag's main priorities are a goalkeeper and striker, the manager should continue to pursue deals for Onana and Hojlund before strengthening other areas of the squad.