Former Arsenal and Chelsea midfielder dashes Manchester United’s hopes of signing Youssouf Fofana

Manchester United’s pursuit of Monaco’s Youssouf Fofana has hit a snag, thanks to comments from a former Arsenal and Chelsea midfielder.

Fofana, who has been a standout player for Monaco since joining from Strasbourg in the 2019-20 season, formed a formidable partnership with Aurelien Tchouameni before Tchouameni’s move to Real Madrid in 2022. Over his four-and-a-half years at Stade Louis II, Fofana has tallied seven goals and 15 assists in 175 appearances.

Despite a productive 2023-24 season, where he scored four goals and provided four assists in 32 Ligue 1 matches, and featuring in the 2022 World Cup and the 2024 European Championships for France, Fofana is reportedly seeking a new club with his contract set to expire in the summer of 2025.

Both Arsenal and Manchester United have shown interest in the 25-year-old, with reports suggesting he could be available for around £20 million. Manchester United’s interest is believed to be the most advanced.

However, Cesc Fabregas, a former teammate of Fofana at Monaco, has cast doubt on a potential move to the Premier League. Speaking to BBC’s Planet Premier League podcast, Fabregas suggested that Fofana is more likely to join AC Milan, particularly with Lille boss Paulo Fonseca expected to take over as Milan’s new head coach. Fabregas highlighted the strong relationship between Fofana and Fonseca as a key factor.

“I know him, I played with him. Funnily enough, I never heard about Man United. I heard that he was going to AC Milan because [manager, Paulo] Fonseca probably is going to go there from France, and they know each other, so let’s see where he goes,” Fabregas said, as quoted by the Evening Standard. “But he’s a very dynamic and strong player, good on the ball, a modern type of player, aggressive, can jump, he’s box to box. I really like Fofana and I think he fits very well with the Premier League style.”

With Fabregas’s insights in mind, Manchester United may need to consider alternative targets as Erik ten Hag looks to strengthen his midfield for the 2024-25 season. Among the names on their list are Benfica’s highly-rated Joao Neves and long-time target Frenkie de Jong of Barcelona. However, both players come with hefty price tags that may be beyond United’s budget.

Turning Sofyan Amrabat’s loan from Fiorentina into a permanent deal could be a more feasible option, especially with potential departures of Donny van de Beek, Casemiro, and Christian Eriksen looming.