Ryan Sessegnon came through the youth ranks at Fulham (Getty Images)
According to a report from the Daily Mail, Tottenham are plotting a £50million summer swoop for Fulham teenage prodigy Ryan Sessegnon.
Ryan Sessegnon, 18, is out of contract at Craven Cottage in 2020 and has not agreed fresh terms, with Tottenham one of the European clubs considering a move for him. The likes of Manchester United and Paris Saint-Germain are also monitoring his situation closely, adds the report.
Sessegnon has struggled with the step-up to the Premier League football this season as Fulham lie in the relegation zone. Yet, Manchester United should step up their interest and beat the likes of Tottenham and PSG to the 18-year-old’s signature.
Manchester United caretaker boss Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has spoken of the need for the club to recruit “quality players” in the summer to challenge for the Premier League title next season.
The Norwegian was brought in to replace Jose Mourinho in December until the end of the season, although he is widely expected to become their next permanent manager after winning 14 of his 19 matches in charge.
But after being lauded for his impact since replacing Mourinho, the painful truth for Solskjaer is that his Manchester United team’s latest performance in the 2-1 defeat at Wolves in the FA Cup quarter-finals was undoubtedly the poorest as anything they have produced under the Norwegian tactician.
The defeat was not only an eye-opener for the 46-year-old but also a rude reminder about United’s apparent lack of squad depth. United will need to strengthen this summer if they are to challenge for the Premier League title next season and reinforcing the defence has got to be Solskjaer’s priority.
Competition for Luke Shaw at left-back is indeed required and Sessegnon will be an ideal fit for the Red Devils. Even though Sessegnon has excelled in an advanced role on the left for Fulham, but has been exposed a lot of times defensively.
Solskjaer would certainly have a challenge on his hands to improve the defensive facets of the 18-year-old’s game. Sessegnon has plenty of pace to burn, energy, agility, crossing abilities and willingness to work tirelessly throughout the game. He is also a very good passer of the ball and his game-reading abilities belie his age.
Despite his obvious flaws and a lukewarm debut season in the Premier League, Sessegnon remains a precocious talent. It has been a challenging season for the teenager and the Cottagers in the Premier League but it’s well worth recalling that he is a young talent who will be better with experience.
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Thus, United shouldn’t hesitate to go all out for Sessegnon in the summer as he can certainly develop under the watchful eyes of Solskjaer.