Manchester United have reportedly made an offer for Barcelona midfielder Ilaix Moriba as Ole Gunnar Solskjaer looks to strengthen his first team squad.
What's the story?
According to Spanish outlet Fichajes, the Red Devils are interested in acquiring the 18-year-old's services this summer and have already tabled an offer worth €20m (£17m) for his signature.
United are allegedly hoping to take advantage of Barca's dire financial situation and lure one of their most promising young stars to Old Trafford for a relatively modest fee.
A massive upgrade on McTominay
The Red Devils made solid progress last season, finishing second in the Premier League standings while reaching the Europa League final. However, the 12-point gap to champions Manchester City and another trophyless campaign highlighted the work that's still left to be done by the 20-time English champions.
Solskjaer has already agreed a deal for Borussia Dortmund winger Jadon Sancho in an attempt to close the gap on the Cityzens, but his summer's work appears to be far from complete. The likes of Raphael Varane and Eduardo Camavinga have been heavily linked with moves to United in recent weeks, and Moriba is the latest player to catch the eye of the club's hierarchy.
Despite still being a teenager, the Spain under-18 international made a name for himself in the Blaugrana first team last season after impressing during a handful of appearances. In 14 La Liga outings, Moriba showcased his top-class ability and potential, and his underlying numbers indicate he'd already be an upgrade on some of the options currently available to Solskjaer.
His three assists, 1.2 dribbles per league game and 91.6% passing accuracy all outperformed Scott McTominay's tallies for those metrics, and it's no surprise that United are interested in snapping up the £22.5m-rated Moriba up while they have the chance.
The Red Devils' engine room has been an area of weakness for many years now, but with Paul Pogba finally fulfilling his potential on a regular basis and Bruno Fernandes continuing to produce world-class displays, the addition of Moriba could finally restore it to its past glories.
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