Dwight Yorke urges Man Utd to sign £85m star ahead of Youri Tielemans and Arsenal target

Manchester United legend Dwight Yorke says he would sign Ayyoub Bouaddi ‘any day of the week’ ahead of Youri Tielemans and Bruno Guimaraes.

The Red Devils focused their efforts on strengthening the squad’s misfiring attack last summer, bringing in Benjamin Sesko, Bryan Mbeumo and Matheus Cunha for a combined fee in the region of £200million.

Twelve months on and central midfield is viewed as the top priority at Old Trafford, with Casemiro’s recent departure only intensifying the club’s search for reinforcements in the engine room.

A host of high-profile names have been linked since the summer transfer window opened for business – and Andrey Santos’ £48m arrival from Chelsea was officially announced this week.

And while Ederson’s proposed switch from Atalanta has fallen through, Aston Villa’s Tielemans and teenage Lille sensation Ayyoub Bouaddi are believed to be in United’s sights as potential acquisitions in the middle of the park.

Reports on Monday indicated United were edging ever closer to a deal for Tielemans, ready to trigger the Belgium international’s £35m release clause at Villa Park.

But according to Yorke, £85m-rated Moroccan wonderkid Bouaddi – one of the breakout stars of this summer’s World Cup – should be front and centre of United’s thoughts.

‘Youri Tielemans? He is a very solid player who has the experience of playing in the Premier League, and he captains his national team,’ the former United striker told betting site British Gambler.

‘I prefer him ahead of other options, except for Ayyoub Bouaddi of Morocco. He would be my first choice.’

Yorke – an integral member of United’s fabled treble-winning squad of 1999 – believes Bouaddi would be worth the big bucks and could go on to become ‘best in the world’ in midfield.

‘If you’re spending £100million on a player, you want to be signing the midfield equivalent of Kylian Mbappe, for instance. Then you pay whatever and your money disappears but you know what you’re going to get. You’re seeing it with your own eyes,’ he added.

‘Bouaddi from Morocco, the young kid, he is that player. I watched him closely at this World Cup and he looked remarkable in games like against Brazil. He is young. He is a real project. 

‘I would spend money on Bouaddi because he has the potential to be the best in the world.

‘Outside of Bouaddi, there is nobody else making me think wow, there’s £100 million worth of player here.’

Yorke finds himself stunned by the transfer fees being spent in today’s market and insists a sum of £100m should automatically guarantee a talent unlike any other in world football.

‘I don’t know where these figures have suddenly come from. It’s a consistent thing now for anybody who is half decent to be valued at £100 million. That’s the market. But you’ve got to be exceptional when you’re a player worth £100 million and up,’ he went on.

‘Are you really telling me that Elliot Anderson, Sandro Tonali and the rest of them are exceptional players? They’re good players. That’s all. I can’t get my head around it.

‘A £100 million player should be somebody who does things that no other players can do on the planet but unfortunately £100 million is just a drop in the ocean now in this sport. Clubs are looking at players worth £100 million and saying we’ll pay that. Really? I just don’t think they are worth it as midfielders apart from Bouaddi who has huge potential.

‘He is the player you invest the money into rather than spending £100 million on Anderson and others like him. 

‘They’re good players and they will make United look more solid but for that kind of money I expect a player who does more than make the team look more solid. As a manager you’ve got to be looking for the players who are going to improve your squad, improve your team, and take your club to the next level.’

Yorke has been encouraged by United’s early transfer dealings but hopes to see as many as four or five new recruits following Santos through the doors before this summer’s transfer deadline on September 1.

‘With Champions League football this season, and all the other games coming his way this time round, United have to strengthen the squad. Michael Carrick will certainly be able to compete with this team, he’s already shown he can do that, but it’s not a complete team,’ the ex-Trinidad and Tobago forward continued.

‘We know that Manchester United still need to strengthen in many areas, and I would like to think that before the season starts, or at least before the window shuts, that they can bring in another four or five players. That’s what is needed.

‘When you look at the squad Carrick has to work with, there will be players who end up out with injuries, there will be players who leave the club. Carrick has been in the job long enough. He’s been a manager at Middlesbrough.

‘He knows, when you’re competing on all fronts, which is what a club like United must do, then you need a real squad of players. You don’t just need a strong team of 11 players. You need a squad of 26 quality players who can fight for their place in the team and go out to win every competition in a season.

‘Fixing the spine of the team is the key. I’d like to see United sign another number nine. Obviously they need to replace Casemiro. I think they may also need another central defender. There’s also the situation with Marcus Rashford. Is he a United player or not? That’s another situation we need to deal with as well.

‘United need to sign four or five new players who can go straight into the first team, to compete with the players they have, to go one step further than where they finished last season.’

United had also been credited with a strong interest in Newcastle captain Guimaraes at the start of the summer, only for Arsenal to take pole position in the race for the Brazil international.

Yorke, though, is not ‘convinced’ or ‘excited’ about the Magpies midfielder and would prefer the Red Devils focus their efforts on a player like Bouaddi.

‘I don’t know about Bruno Guimaraes. I’m not sure he has been that impressive,’ he said.

‘I watched him play for Brazil at the World Cup and he’s not convinced me. I think he’s good. He’s shown that at Newcastle United. He’s got a good work ethic. I understand the value of that. But is that what you’re paying for when you sign a player to come to Manchester United? A good work ethic?

‘Listen, he’s a solid player and maybe he’s good enough to get into a team at the level Manchester United should be at but is going to take them to another level? Will Bruno Guimaraes put United any closer to the Premier League title? If so, he’s a good signing. But he doesn’t excite me.

‘I’m not seeing him picking up a ball and boom, sending over one of those diagonal passes or cutting defenders apart with one ball. I just don’t see that quality from him.’

Yorke added: ‘That’s why his performances for Brazil worried me. He was just another solid player in that team. They’re all solid players. I’m not saying he’s not a good player but is that where United are at now? Just buying players because they’re solid? Bring me players that are going to make us superior! I’m not so sure that’s Bruno Guimaraes.

‘The World Cup was an opportunity for him to tell the world there’s a reason why a team like Manchester United are going to be after me, and he’s come up short, in my opinion.

‘Give me Bouaddi any day of the week ahead of those guys.’

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