Man Utd Face €30m Price Tag for Rennes Striker Kader Meite as January Scramble Intensifies

Manchester United have received their marching orders on Rennes forward Kader Meite: fork out over €30 million if they want to get the deal done.

The Old Trafford outfit splashed out more than £200m last summer to bring in five new faces—Matheus Cunha, Benjamin Sesko, Bryan Mbeumo, Diego Leon, and Senne Lammens—as they sought to address what had been a woefully blunt attacking department by Premier League standards. Last season's fifth-worst defence was clearly the priority, though the forwards have been making their presence felt of late with Mbeumo and Cunha both making waves.

Yet the hunt for further firepower continues, and the Rennes man has caught their eye. Reports emerged last week suggesting United were plotting to "ambush" Saudi outfit Al-Hilal for Meite's signature, with the caveat that they'd only move should one of their existing strikers depart.

Joshua Zirkzee appears the most likely candidate to head for the exit, with Serie A heavyweights Roma circling and the Dutch striker keen on more minutes as he plots his path towards next summer's World Cup. Ouest-France now claim Meite is receptive to fresh opportunities, and that Rennes would entertain bids exceeding €30 million from United or elsewhere.

However, the Red Devils seem more inclined to strengthen in midfield rather than attack during this window. Transfer insider Fabrizio Romano has revealed that United have been offered the chance to revive their interest in former Leicester midfielder Wilfred Ndidi, though they're taking a measured approach.

"Manchester United have been offered the possibility to go for Ndidi again, but at the moment still not proceeding," Romano explained on his YouTube channel. "They're exploring midfield options in case something comes up, and could move in this final week if the right opportunity emerges. Nothing's guaranteed, but it's something they'll assess over the next few days depending on what becomes available."

Romano's earlier assessment suggested United are weighing up whether to dip into the market at all this month. An internal meeting involving manager Michael Carrick was scheduled to decide the club's direction, with the hierarchy mindful of Carrick's impressive start to life in the job—including that Manchester derby victory—but ultimately reserving judgment on permanent investment.

"United will decide whether to pursue an opportunity in January, possibly in midfield or attack, or to keep the current squad until the summer," Romano noted. "At the moment everything is very quiet and the big investments are expected in the summer with a permanent manager in place."

The picture remains murky in Italy too, where Roma and Juventus are watching closely to see whether United might open the door for Zirkzee's departure. For now, though, the Old Trafford club have held firm on their striker, leaving the Meite pursuit in limbo as the window ticks down.