Manchester United Transfer News: Tahith Chong Reveals Interest, Latest Rumours

Manchester United have expressed an interest in signing 16-year-old wonderkid Tahith Chong from Feyenoord, according to the player himself.

Speaking with fr12.nl (h/t Colin Harvey of he Daily Star), the young midfielder has confirmed he is keen to continue his development in the Netherlands but the Red Devils have been in touch about a potential move:

"

Feyenoord is and remains my first choice and we are still negotiating.

It’s true that Manchester United are interested in me, but I want to just stay at Feyenoord.

There is absolutely no question that I’m going out to the club.

Feyenoord now is come up with a plan of how they see me in the coming years at the club.

I am hopeful that it will be all right and that I’m going to sign a contract with Feyenoord.

"

Chong is a very talented midfield player, capable of operating in a variety of positions. The 16-year-old can play on both flanks and off a centre-forward; as you’d expect from a player who has been nurtured in Dutch football, he possesses excellent technique and a brilliant understanding of the game.

Here’s a glimpse at what the youngster is capable of, as he uses sharp thinking to score a tremendous goal against PSV Eindhoven’s youth side:

According to Samuel Luckhurst of the Manchester Evening News, the Red Devils' scouts got a look at Chong firsthand when he featured in the Premier Cup tournament, staged at the club’s Carrington training complex back in August, and were excited by what they witnessed.

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Of course, it’s encouraging to hear United are on the hunt for some of the top prospects in European football, and from the brief clips available of Chong, it’s clear he’s a player set for big things. However, the Red Devils have established a longstanding reputation for tapping into their own academy, and it’ll be concerning to some supporters if players like Chong block this progress.

Andreas Pereira Staying Put

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Manchester United manager Louis van Gaal will reportedly prevent Andreas Pereira from leaving on loan during the transfer window despite the youngster wanting regular first-team football.

Speaking with GloboEsporte (h/t Luckhurst), the 20-year-old spoke of his frustrations at not getting a chance at Old Trafford with next summer’s Olympics moving closer into view, and he revealed there are clubs keen on signing him.

But according to Joe Bernstein of the MailOnline, Van Gaal has been “chastened” by the comments and will now block any move.

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The youngster is an extremely exciting prospect, possessing wonderful close control, tremendous long-range passing and posing a major threat from dead-ball situations. He is a player who relishes freedom on the field, and given Van Gaal’s structured setup, it’s easy to see why he hasn’t been given more of a chance.

Brazilian football journalist Jack Lang feels as though the playmaker should have been given an opportunity to impress, especially when considering United’s creative woes:

In the positions Pereira can operate, United are well stocked with the likes of Memphis Depay, Anthony Martial, Juan Mata, Ander Herrera and Jesse Lingard. So it’s curious the Red Devils have not sought to give the youngster a loan move, not only for his benefit, but for their own.

After all, a spell away from Old Trafford, getting regular football and learning more about the game, will aid Pereira’s development, which is what United are surely looking towards in the long-term. Perhaps the playmaker will get a chance in the UEFA Europa League and FA Cup, but isolated games every few weeks are not conducive to any kind of steady development.