Manchester United are one of several clubs keeping tabs on RB Leipzig’s Dani Olmo, who impressed for Spain at the Euros.
According to Marca, Barcelona were in discussions over a deadline day transfer as they looked to fill the void left by Antoine Griezmann’s return to Atletico Madrid.
Leipzig were open to selling Olmo for the right fee but decided that there wasn’t enough time to sign a high-quality replacement for the winger.
Barcelona haven’t given up hope of bringing Olmo to the Nou Camp in either of the next two transfer windows, but they will face competition from some of Europe’s biggest clubs.
In addition to Bayern Munich and Juventus, Man United have been monitoring the 23-year-old’s situation closely.
They believe he would be ideally suited to their fast-paced attacking football, complementing the likes of Jadon Sancho, Marcus Rashford, Anthony Martial and Mason Greenwood.
The return of Cristiano Ronaldo has complicated matters somewhat, with the Portuguese star immediately assuming a lead role under Ole Gunnar Solskjaer.
He scored twice in the 4-1 win over Newcastle United on Saturday, impressing supporters with his single-minded focus and clinical finishing.
At 36, Ronaldo remains one of the most reliable goalscorers in world football, but he no longer has the same stamina and explosive energy as he once did.
His signing was always driven by short-term priorities, whereas Olmo would fit Man United’s blueprint for long-term success.
He came through the Barcelona academy before making a surprise move to Dinamo Zagreb at the age of 16.
Olmo became a regular in the first team three years later and soon established himself as one of the most exciting young prospects in Europe.
He scored on his international debut in November 2019, catapulting him to wider attention, and signed for Leipzig a couple of months later.
In a busy summer, he participated in both the Euros and the Olympics, picking up a silver medal for Spain after losing to Brazil in the final.
