Manchester United join Arsenal in packed race for 20-year-old striker | Football

Manchester United have joined the race to sign Bayer Leverkusen forward Christian Kofane, with Arsenal also in the hunt, according to reports.

The 20-year-old made his professional debut in Spain with Albacete in January 2025 and was quickly snapped up by Bayer Leverkusen in the summer of that year after scoring eight goals in the Segunda Division.

The Cameroon international played 44 times in all competitions in his first season with the German club, including 11 Champions League outings.

He was not prolific, scoring seven goals, but the 6’2″ striker did enough to make a string of Premier League clubs interested in his signature.

Aston Villa, Newcastle United and Everton were all thought to be pursuing him over the summer, while Arsenal were also credited with an interest.

The player’s agent, Eric Depolo, mentioned even more clubs as tracking his client, telling Daily Arsenal in April last year that the Gunners were certainly keen, as were Bayern Munich, Barcelona and Chelsea.

German publication SportBild, via Sport Witness, reports that Manchester United has become the latest huge club to count among Kofane’s high profile suitors.

In August, Kofane said he was in no rush to join a Premier League club, telling Kicker of a potential move to England: ‘I can certainly imagine it, yes. It’s one of the best leagues in the world.

‘But I want to take it step by step. I’m young and still have big plans with Bayer Leverkusen.’

He added: ‘Bayer Leverkusen a great club that has given me a great opportunity and a lot of confidence. I feel very comfortable here.’

However, reports from Germany state that talks over a contract extension have stalled, offering hope to interested parties.

If Kofane does make the leap to the Premier League in 2027 then it will be an incredible rise for the forward, who Albacete snapped up from Cameroonian football academy AS Nylon in November 2024.

Less than a year later he was on his way to a Champions League club, with Albacete stating as he departed for Germany: ‘Although we still believe that Albacete Balompié was the best possible team for Kofane to maintain his undeniable and spectacular sporting growth, the club can only wish Christian the greatest success in this important professional challenge he must now face, reminding him that the doors of the Carlos Belmonte will always be open for him.’

In April, his agent made it clear he felt Arsenal were at the front of the queue to sign Kofane, saying: ‘Due to the fact that the player speaks Spanish, like Mikel Arteta, and that William Saliba is originally from Cameroon, I would say Arsenal are in pole position.

‘There is contact between me and Arsenal. But their focus right now is to win the league – from there everything will start moving.’

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