Manchester United are plotting a raid on Premier League rivals Fulham, with a move now being weighed up ahead of the January transfer window.
United signed off before the international break with a 1-1 victory against the Cottagers on the road, and they were also unable to get three points on the board on Saturday, with Dominic Solanke scoring a late equaliser for ten-man Tottenham Hotspur at Old Trafford.
Michael Carrick subsequently admitted he has been left frustrated by the start his side have made to the campaign, saying: “I am massively disappointed with the result, for sure. A mixed performance. I’m not happy with the amount of points that we’ve had so far.
“There’s no hiding from that. I think it could have been different for a couple of little things here or there, but the reality is the reality, we’ve got to accept it, you know. We need to put things in a direction, in a positive direction quite quickly, that’s pretty plain.”
Carrick will need to turn things around sooner rather than later, given that his side have taken just six points from their opening six matches, a record that leaves them 12th in the Premier League table, although it is still early days.
However, work is still going on behind the scenes, with the recruitment team identifying targets ahead of the January transfer window, and Fulham star Josh King has now entered their thinking.
Man Utd eyeing move for Josh King
That is according to a report from Football Insider, which states Man United are closely monitoring King, but a deal could be a costly operation, considering the Cottagers are planning to hold out for at least £50m.
Alvaro Arbeloa’s side are reluctant to cash-in on the attacking midfielder, but he is now open to a move, which may have to wait until the summer, as there are doubts surrounding whether a January deal could be arranged.
Should the 19-year-old move on, Arbeloa is likely to be very disappointed, given that he waxed lyrical about him earlier this season, saying: “I have been talking all summer with Josh King. What a player we have here. Amazing. What a player. Unbelievable. But I knew his talent.
“With talent and with quality, this type of player is not enough, they need to make numbers – like Joshua, Oscar, or like Sessegnon and Kevin, who are really young players with a lot of talent.”
Despite his age, the youngster has already established himself as one of Fulham’s most important players, making six appearances in the Premier League this season, during which time he’s scored two goals.
As such, it is perhaps unsurprising that the race for King’s signature is starting to heat up, as per the aforementioned report, which states Liverpool and Arsenal have also set their sights on the Fulham star.
