According to reports from Italy, AS Roma is now vying for the signature of Santos striker Marcos Leonardo, so Manchester United may need to act quickly.

What recent transfer news have you heard about Man United?

The acquisition of Atalanta striker Rasmus Hojlund, which was initially announced over the weekend, has now been finalised, according to transfer expert Fabrizio Romano.

Erik ten Hag, the manager of Man United, has long prioritised finding a top striker, and now that search is finally over thanks to the forward signing a five-year contract for a price of £64 million plus £8 million in add-ons.

Even though a deal for Hojlund has already been reached, United is still interested in adding more attacking options, and according to reports from Italy, they are “very vigilant” about Leonardo’s situation (via Sport Witness).

Roma are currently working to complete a deal for the 20-year-old, so the Red Devils might need to act quickly if they want to bring him to Old Trafford. He has recently been linked with a move, though only in the background as they’ve been preoccupied with the Hojlund deal.

As a result of United’s entry into the race to sign the young player, the Serie A club is not planning to give up on their pursuit of him, and they will face fierce competition if they pursue a deal.

Given that they have been in touch with the Brazilian team to discuss a deal over the past three days, Roma currently appears to be in the lead for the Santos star, and director of football Tiago Pinto is committed to closing a deal.

Exactly who is Marcos Leonardo?

The Brazilian starlet has played for Santos his entire professional career to this point, and during the 2022 Brazilian Serie A season, he scored 13 goals in 35 games, establishing a very impressive goal scoring record.

With six goals in 12 appearances this season—during which he has also recorded two assists—the young player is on track to surpass that record in front of goal.

Jacek Kulig, a football talent scout, has praised the forward as “the king of the penalty area” and added that he “has all the tools to become an absolute killer,” highlighting the significant threat he poses on the offensive end.

There are questions as to whether the Santos star would be a worthwhile addition to United’s roster, though, given that he does not provide much else for his team. In the last year, he averaged just 13.47 passes per 90 minutes, which places him in the sixth percentile when compared to players of a comparable calibre.

Leonardo is a bit of a poacher and might be a good option for Ten Hag to use as a substitute if Man United is trailing in a game, but he is probably not a necessary acquisition.

United are now fortunate to have attacking options as a result of a Hojlund deal being finalised, so Ten Hag should instead concentrate on bolstering the squad’s other positions.