Manchester United are heading towards the weekend with still a faint hope of qualifying for the Champions League next season.
The Reds remain firmly in their Europa League round of 16 tie after a 1-1 draw with Real Sociedad in San Sebastian. As mentioned previously, the prospect of having Champions League football next season is huge as it can determine the quality of player the club can sign in the summer.
In MEN Sport's latest look at the headlines surrounding United, it appears Ruben Amorim is willing to look outside of the box in a bid to bolster his side.
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Amorim wants Mateta
According to The Sun, Amorim has been impressed with the performances of Crystal Palace's Jean-Philippe Mateta this season. The Frenchman, who is set for a spell on the sidelines following a horror tackle at the weekend, has bagged 15 goals in 33 appearances for the Eagles this campaign.
It is understood that the striker's 'mobility and work ethic' would be ideal for the 3-4-2-1 system which the Portuguese is imposing at Old Trafford.
What MEN Sport says: The last couple of seasons for Mateta in the Premier League have seen him bag double figures for Palace which cannot be underestimated considering the current form of the Reds' frontline. However at 27, Mateta has not had much experience of leading a line for a club like United where the pressure for success is so high. It did not work with Wout Weghorst and it may not work with Mateta either. Personally, if Mateta was to be signed in the summer, I would hope he would be coming in alongside another centre-forward like Viktor Gyokeres or Victor Osimhen who would be entrusted to lead the line. Mateta would undoubtedly be a good option considering the packed schedule for United but, it would be a sign of the times if he was signed to be the first choice.
United discover Kimmich stance
According to journalist Florian Plettenberg, Bayern Munich midfielder Joshua Kimmich has verbally agreed to a new contract ahead of his current deal ending in the summer. It is understood that the defensive midfielder considered an offer from PSG but that his focus has always been on sticking with the Bavarian club.
The contract is expected to be signed this week with an announcement soon afterwards.
What MEN Sport says: United were never firmly linked with a move for Kimmich in the summer but he was considered to be one of the better potential free agents that the Reds should be approaching. The German remains one of the strongest defensive midfielders in Europe and would have been a handy addition to the squad. However, the potential for that is now out of the window and Amorim will need to look elsewhere to boost his defensive midfield options.
