Barcelona could reportedly rival Manchester United for the transfer of Porto striker Samu Aghehowa after scouting the player.
According to Sempre Barca, the Catalan giants view Aghehowa as a potential long-term replacement for Robert Lewandowski up front.
The talented young Spaniard has shone at Porto this season, contributing 24 goals and three assists in all competitions, and he’s previously been described as “big, strong, fast” by Luis Garcia in the Athletic.
CaughtOffside have previously been told about Man Utd and other top clubs looking at Aghehowa, but it perhaps now seems that he’s becoming of growing interest to Barcelona.
There’s no doubt Barca could do with a top young signing coming in to complement fellow Spanish wonderkid Lamine Yamal and build an attack that can shine at the highest level for many years to come.
Samu Aghehowa transfer won’t come cheap
As noted by Sempre Barca, one issue for interested clubs is that Aghehowa is protected by a €100m release clause at Porto.
The 21-year-old could end up being a worthwhile investment eventually, but that’s also a lot to pay for someone who’s still relatively inexperienced and unproven.
For one thing, Aghehowa is yet to really show what he can do at one of Europe’s top five leagues, with his main experience coming on loan at Deportivo Alaves last season.
It’s only in Portugal that Aghehowa’s form has really exploded, and that’s not always a reliable indicator of how a player will do in the major leagues or in competitions like the Champions League.
Should Man United move for Samu Aghehowa?
United need a new striker this summer, with Aghehowa looking like he could be a significant upgrade on the struggling Rasmus Hojlund.
The Red Devils will surely look to improve their attacking options, with loaned-out players like Marcus Rashford and Antony also in need of replacing.
Some MUFC fans will be hoping for someone more proven than Aghehowa, but he also looks like the kind of talent the club won’t want to miss out on, or it’s clear he could be snapped up quickly by another elite side.
