Man United reportedly enquired about Tottenham starlet Dane Scarlett - only to be told it was too late as he had already agreed a new contract.
According to the Manchester Evening News, the Red Devils were interested in taking advantage of the young forward’s uncertain future, with his previous deal set to expire this summer.
Outgoing director of football Matt Judge was the man to launch United’s enquiry into his availability heading into the summer transfer window. However, he was met with a staunch reply that Scarlett had already agreed a new deal in north London - something that was eventually announced by Spurs earlier this week.
It was confirmed that the 18-year-old had penned a new contract until 2026, ending the Red Devils’ interest in the process. A product of the Tottenham academy, Scarlett has gone on to make 10 appearances for the north London outfit but is yet to find the net.
He of course has huge promise though having scored seven goals in eight outings for the England under-19s. Speaking after penning his new deal, he said: “I’m really proud to sign a new contract and excited to see what the future holds.
“It’s something I’ve been working towards this year and now it’s happened, I’m just happy that I’m enjoying my football. It’s been very good working with the first team so far – it’s hard work, but as long as I stay focussed and keep working hard, hopefully everything will pan out well for me.”
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Whilst United will have been left frustrated with the youngster penning a new deal at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, that is not expected to bring to an end their search for a striker. United are set to be without the services of Edinson Cavani next season with his contract close to expiring.
Meanwhile, there remains doubt over the long-term future of Cristiano Ronaldo despite the Portuguese having enjoyed a productive personal season since returning to Old Trafford from Juventus last season. They have been strongly linked with another Serie A striking sensation in the upcoming window in the form of Nigerian hotshot Victor Osimhen.
The Napoli forward has enjoyed a fine season at the Stadio Diego Armando Maradona with 18 goals in 32 appearances in all competitions. The Red Devils are sure to face considerable competition for his services though with Arsenal thought to hold a long-term interest in him.
A striker is not the only major addition on Erik ten Hag’s shopping list this summer though. The centre of midfield needs some extreme strengthening with the likes of Paul Pogba, Nemanja Matic and Juan Mata all set to leave ahead of next season.
Meanwhile, the Red Devils have been linked with a number of defenders as ten Hag appears to plug their leaky defence - Ajax's star Jurrien Timber a name that has been regularly mentioned.
