Manchester United showing interest in 17-year-old Turkish sensation

Manchester United ‘interested’ in Galatasaray youngster Efe Akman.

Manchester United are ‘interested’ in a move for Turkish wonderkid Efe Akman, who plays for the youth side of Galatasaray, according to Turkish outlet GS Gazete (h/t Manchester Evening News).

The 17-year-old has caught a lot of people’s attention with his performances in the UEFA Youth League campaign. The Istanbul-born star plays in the midfield.

Akman, a playmaker, has been compared to Barcelona and former Ajax midfielder Frenkie de Jong. The Holland international has been a long-term target for Erik ten Hag and the Red Devils.

However, to that end, the Eredivisie champions also have the Turkey U17 international on their radar. The Amsterdam-based club have sent Klaas-Jan Huntelaar to hold an opening dialogue with the youngster and the Super Lig outfit.

The 17-year-old is yet to make his senior debut for Galatasarat’s senior team. It remains to be seen if the teenager will get that opportunity in the near future, considering his enormous talent.

United have produced a bunch of promising midfielders from their academy as of late. During the last pre-season, Ten Hag handed Zidane Iqbal and Charlie Savage an opportunity to showcase their skills.

The two, especially the Iraq international, did not disappoint. However, the two have been unable to break into the Dutch manager’s plans in the current campaign, with the Welsh national currently on loan at Forest Green Rovers.

United have the likes of Casemiro and Christian Eriksen in the middle of the park, who have cemented their place in the team. The gaffer has stuck with them for the majority of his stint at the Manchester-based club so far. We can also count on Fred, Scott McTominay and Marcel Sabitzer.

Therefore, will Akman move to the Old Trafford side over a team like Ajax, who are renowned for developing potential stars? Only time will tell.