Aston Villa to Contribute Significantly to Rashford’s Wages, £40M Option Included

Manchester United Exploring Options Ahead of Transfer Deadline

As the January transfer window nears its end, Manchester United are reportedly considering several options to bolster their offensive lineup. The club is exploring potential loan deals for Bayern Munich’s Mathys Tel and Aston Villa’s Leon Bailey, as they seek to fill the gap left by Marcus Rashford’s proposed temporary move to Villa.

While Rashford predominantly plays on the left side of the attack, Jamaican international Bailey operates on the right flank. Any move for Bailey would be separate from Rashford’s loan, as the club looks to maintain balance and depth in their attacking options.

United have not yet advanced talks with either Villa or Bayern, but both players have been discussed as potential targets should they become available for a loan move before the transfer window closes.

Mathys Tel and Leon Bailey: Potential Targets for Manchester United

Mathys Tel, the young French striker from Bayern Munich, had previously indicated to Tottenham Hotspur that he intends to stay at Bayern and reassess his future in the summer. Despite agreements being reached for him to join the north London club and interest from several other teams, Tel seems committed to remaining with the Bundesliga champions for now.

Leon Bailey, on the other hand, has been a consistent performer for Aston Villa since joining the club from Bayer Leverkusen in 2021. The winger has scored 21 times across 134 first-team appearances for Villa, including 14 goals in the 2023-24 season. This campaign, Bailey has made 29 appearances across all competitions for Unai Emery’s side, starting 13 Premier League matches and five times in the Champions League.

Another potential alternative for Manchester United is Chelsea’s Christopher Nkunku, who was previously a target for Bayern earlier in the transfer window.

Any incoming transfer would become the third senior player to join Manchester United this month, following the signings of teenage centre-back Ayden Heaven from Arsenal and versatile wing-back Patrick Dorgu from Lecce.

As the transfer deadline approaches, Manchester United will be working hard to identify the right additions to their squad, balancing the need for immediate impact with long-term potential.