Man Utd watch new striker target who idolises Ronaldo as Arsenal, Tottenham transfer tussle commences
Manchester United are one of six Premier League clubs keeping tabs on rising Brazilian striker, Marcos Leonardo, according to reports.
Leonardo is currently showcasing his talent at the under-20 World Cup with Brazil, where several scouts are keeping an eye on him. The 20-year-old has cited ex-Man Utd forward, Cristiano Ronaldo, as his main idol.
Already with 140 senior appearances under his belt for Santos at club level, Leonardo appears to have huge potential. In turn, a whole host of Premier League clubs are keeping an eye on him.
According to 90min, Man Utd are one of the clubs monitoring Leonardo during the under-20 World Cup. They are currently in the market for a new centre-forward to take over from Wout Weghorst once his loan spell from Burnley expires.
Ideally, Man Utd would want a more high-profile new frontman, but perhaps Leonardo could be someone for them to develop in conjunction with a star name.
His admiration for Ronaldo shouldn’t be a concern, despite how sourly the Portugal international’s second spell at Man Utd ended. Instead, it shows Leonardo’s ambition – and a player of his age wouldn’t get too big for his boots.
Therefore, Man Utd might be keen to hone his talents. That said, they are far from being his only admirers. Representatives from Arsenal, Chelsea, Newcastle, Tottenham and West Ham are also spying him in Poland, according to the report.
Suitors queue up for Marcos Leonardo
West Ham actually made a move for Leonardo in January, the report reminds, but were unsuccessful. Still, they remain keen on a deal for the promising attacker.
Chelsea are also considered a major threat in the race to sign Leonardo after also wrapping up a deal for his compatriot, Andrey Santos from Vasco da Gama.
The Blues are in desperate need of new ideas up front, although like Man Utd, might need a more established option to take centre stage.
Outside the Premier League, Leonardo has admirers at Paris Saint-Germain in France, and Juventus and Roma in Italy. Therefore, the battle for his services remains wide open.
Last summer, there were strong claims about Liverpool being ready to sign Leonardo, but nothing ever happened on that front.
Santos have Leonardo under contract until 2026, but could be bracing themselves for approaches for him given the amount of interest he has generated.
For now, the prospect will be focusing on the international tournament he is taking part in. Leonardo has scored in both of Brazil’s first two group games.
