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Manchester United have financial concerns of their own this window but they could yet benefit from another club’s troubles with money.
Portuguese outlet Record reports that Porto have to settle charges of around €68 million before the closing of the winter market at the end of January.
It states that with the Portuguese club not selling anyone before June 30th, the closing day for the 2022/23 accounts could be a “high-risk” move since the losses could be around €40 million.
Repeated losses can get a club fined under Financial Fair Play regulations and in the worst-case scenario, can get them banned from European competitions.
Therefore, Porto could look to offload some of their bankable assets to balance their books. This is where United come into the picture.
Early interest in Diogo Costa seems to have fizzled out after Porto didn’t budge on their release clause of €75 million. United are now advancing in the Andre Onana deal, perhaps closing the door for Costa completely.
However, Mehdi Taremi is an interesting case.
The Iranian, who scored 31 goals in all competitions last season, is reportedly a target for United. Aged 30, he could be a plug-and-play piece for this team which lacks a clinical focal point.
After splashing the cash on Mason Mount and potentially, Onana, United could look for an astute option instead of an expensive one for their striking woes.
Due to the financial noose tightening around Porto, Taremi could prove to be a bargain, potentially arriving for far less than the price being quoted for the likes of Rasmus Hojlund and Goncalo Ramos.
Furthermore, the report states that the striker has already rejected advances from Saudi Arabian clubs, pointing clearly that he wants to compete in Europe.
Old Trafford could be the perfect match in that case, as Ten Hag’s side play in UEFA Champions League next season. Taremi would arguably be the first-choice striker for the club due to Anthony Martial’s erratic availability.
In an ideal scenario, he could provide the goods for the club this season, before going into a rotational role next year when Martial’s contract expires and United potentially go for a free agent Harry Kane.
