Manchester United are said to have reached out initially to Karl Etta Eyong as one of their candidates for the replacement of Joshua Zirkzee. Journalist Ben Jacobs reports that the playerโs side has received a message from United, but there is no paper offer yet.
The young goal-getter at Levante, Etta Eyong, has been really impressive with his performance this season. The club’s pursuit looks very real, but the deal seems far from being finalized. United are considering young strikers for the future and Etta Eyong is one of the names they are thinking of.
Who is Karl Etta Eyong? Manchester United Links
Etta Eyong is a single talent from Cameroon with the experience of a top-division Spanish club, Levante, La Liga. Initial rumors talk about a release clause in the player’s contract. This could make him available for Premier League clubs at around ยฃ35 million (approximately โฌ40 million) for clubs outside Spain.
Karl Etta Eyong has been very good at the goal and his form cannot be ignored. There are also several clubs across Europe that are said to be keeping an eye on him. United are only one of those clubs.
What This Means for Manchester United
It is possible that United’s wish to acquire Etta Eyong is mainly caused by the uncertainty of Zirkzee‘s future. In case Zirkzee were to leave, a forward with potential will be needed by United and Etta Eyong is a kind of player that matches their requirement.
Yet, it seems only an exploratory touch at this moment in time – not a full on pitch. Journalist Ben Jacobs regarded the contact as “first contact … nothing more”.
There Are Several Reasons the Deal Could Be Difficult
Among other things:
The article implies that the player’s release clause is quite a bit and that the amount โ by rough exchange โ is a good โฌ 40 million or approximately ยฃ 35 million. On hearing the matter of the release clause, United will decide to meet it or not. In the past, United has overspent on several young players. This time they would try to avoid this mistake.
Karl Etta Eyong had just joined Levante and is probably not willing to move yet. Especially if he has a good playing time and is developing in Spain.
Moreover, some of the other clubs have not outdated as well:
It is claimed that Arsenal, Manchester City, and Barcelona are either that the forward is on their radar or that they are interested in him.
Therefore, while United are still interested. They might have to deal with the competition and the negotiation being harder.
What to Watch Next
First of all, do United make a real proposal to Etta Eyong or his team? Is Zirkzee going to be with United or will he leave so that the need of a new one arises?
Will United be willing to break the bank for such a young player?
Will Etta Eyong decide to remain in Spain or move to the Premier League?
Summary:
United have showed that they want the services of Karl Etta Eyong. They have been in touch with him on the ground level. But it is not a completed transaction – and it might be the opening of a negotiation rather than the conclusion. The question of whether United are going to intervene to secure him as their long-term forward option will be answered only by time.
Author’s Insight
Those stories ought to be put under the “rumor” category. Until an official statement is out from United or a terms announcement is made by the clubs, this is just speculation. Everything mentioned above are based on the media reports available to the public and thus should be treated with the corresponding level of trust.
