Manchester United will reportedly scout Ipswich Town‘s Liam Delap and Eintracht Frankfurt‘s Hugo Ekitike on Friday evening, as the pair prepare to go head-to-head for their respective national teams.
Delap is set to take to the field for England Under-21s against France Under-21s, with Ekitike in line to represent the latter.
Man United will move for a new centre-forward this summer, and it has recently claimed that Ekitike is on a four-man shortlist which also includes Sporting Lisbon‘s Viktor Gyokeres, Napoli‘s Victor Osimhen and RB Leipzig‘s Benjamin Sesko.
According to the Daily Mail, Man United will send scouts to watch Ekitike in action, but the Red Devils will also be keeping an eye on Delap, with the forward in excellent form for Ipswich during the 2024-25 campaign.
The ex-Manchester City youngster has scored 10 times in 28 Premier League appearances for Ipswich this season, and he is set to leave Portman Road this summer even if the club somehow escape the relegation zone.
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Man United ‘to watch’ Delap, Ekitike on Friday night
Man City sold Delap to Ipswich last summer, and it is understood that the Citizens have a buyback clause of £29.5m, which can be activated during the upcoming transfer window.
A recent report claimed that Man United may be able to sign the forward for a fee in the region of £40m, making him a cheaper alternative to the likes of Gyokeres and Osimhen.
Chelsea have also been credited with an interest in Delap, who recently said that he was “so happy” at Ipswich.
“I’m so happy here, I’m enjoying it so much here. I just look forward to playing football. I take every game as it comes and focus on the next,” the forward told the East Anglian Daily Times.
“It [the media speculation] is something that I try and stay away from. People around me have told me to stay away from it, it’s something that I’m very good at in focusing on what I want to do. That’s playing football here.
“I’m really enjoying my time here and I enjoy playing every week. That’s the most important thing. We know, as players and people, that there is noise. If we have a bad game and people are slating us for not performing or getting the right results, we stay focused on ourselves and what we have to achieve.”
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Who is Frankfurt forward Ekitike?
Ekitike spent the second half of last season on loan at Frankfurt from Paris Saint-Germain before joining the Bundesliga giants on a permanent basis during the 2024 summer transfer window.
The 22-year-old has been in excellent form for his German club this season, scoring 19 times and registering eight assists in 38 appearances, including 13 goals and four assists in 25 Bundesliga matches.
Ekitike’s form has led to a host of speculation surrounding his future, with Man United said to be among his admirers, but a number of other clubs are also believed to be interested in his signature.
The forward has a contract with Frankfurt until June 2029, placing the German club in a strong position when it comes to any potential negotiations, and they will naturally be desperate to keep hold of the Frenchman.
