Como head coach Cesc Fabregas says there is no guarantee that his club would accept an offer of €40m (£35m) for Manchester United target Assane Diao.

Reports in the Italian media at the start of this month suggested that the Red Devils, Liverpool and Newcastle were all interested in signing the Senegalese international. When addressing Diao’s future, Fabregas was forthright in his response:

“There is no mentality of speculating and selling, they come here to grow and improve the team. Then obviously, Manchester [United] can come and ask for Diao by offering €40m, but it is not a given that he will leave.”

Diao only made the switch to Como from Real Betis for €12m during the January transfer window and it seems the Serie A side are expecting to sell him for more than triple the amount they paid.

The winger has been in great form since moving to Italy

After swapping La Liga for Serie A at the start of this year, Diao has scored 6 goals and contributed 1 assist in 13 games for Como. He has already equalled the goal tally he managed in 47 appearances for his previous team Betis.

In his last match, the 19-year-old played an instrumental role during a 3-1 win over Monza. He created Jonathan Ikone’s equaliser before putting Como into a 2-1 lead just before halftime.

United could sign Diao to replace several players

Although the teenager is predominatly right-footed, he is equally comfortable playing on either flank. The Red Devils could, therefore, be targeting him as a potential replacement for Marcus Rashford, Antony or even Alejandro Garnacho.

All three have been tipped to leave Old Trafford on a permanent basis this summer. Aston Villa have an option to buy Rashford for £40m, Betis have already signaled their intention to sign Antony after his loan spell, while it has been suggested that Garnacho could be let go to raise funds, with Napoli and Fabregas’s former team Chelsea both interested.

Find out who is in Manchester United’s first-team squad for the 2024/2025 season here