Manchester United have internally "discussed" a summer deal for Brighton and Hove Albion midfielder Alexis Mac Allister, according to CBS reporter and journalist Ben Jacobs.
What's the latest on Mac Allister to United?
The Argentine has undoubtedly made a name for himself at The Amex during his 102 appearances since joining back in January 2019, but it was his performances for his nation at the World Cup that seriously caught the attention of Erik Ten Hag and two other potential suitors.
The Seagulls star featured in six out of a possible seven games at the tournament in Qatar late last year whilst netting one goal, as per Transfermarkt, not to mention that he ranked as Lionel Scaloni's overall third best-performing player with a match rating of 7.11, just behind Angel Di Maria in second and Lionel Messi, who obviously topped the list.
Fabrizio Romano recently revealed that the Red Devils, alongside Premier League rivals Liverpool and Chelsea, have all "approached" the 24-year-old's representatives to discover what it would take to complete a deal during the upcoming window, and it sounds like the hierarchy are already laying the groundwork behind-the-scenes.
Speaking to GiveMeSport, Jacobs revealed that Manchester United have held in-house conversations regarding a potential move for Mac Allister, but reiterated that Brighton won't want to lose him as a result of several of their other players also being targeted. He said:
"I would keep an eye on Liverpool and also potentially Manchester United, they've discussed him internally as well. With Brighton, both European football and different player movements will impact the likelihood of other transfers.
"As I've said, we hear a lot about Moises Caicedo, we hear a lot about Mac Allister, we might hear a fair bit about Kaoru Mitoma, we hear a lot about Evan Ferguson, we hear a lot about Robert Sanchez. Quite clearly, Brighton aren't going to want to throw out a core of star players in the summer window in which they've reached European football."
Should United splash the cash on Mac Allister?
Brighton have reportedly placed a £70m price tag on Mac Allister, and whilst Manchester United will obviously want to try and negotiate the lowest fee possible, they should definitely empty their pockets to secure his services considering the positive impact he would make.
The Santa Rosa native has 12 goal contributions (ten goals and two assists) to his name in 30 appearances across all competitions so far this season and has recorded a total of 63 shots over the current term, which is the second-highest throughout the whole of Roberto De Zerbi's squad, just four behind winger Solly March.
The World Cup winner, who has the wonderful versatility to operate in seven various positions across the pitch, has been dubbed "unplayable" by Argentina reporter Roy Nemer, and he would surely excel even further under the guidance of Ten Hag at Old Trafford.