Man United seeking to persuade Chong to stay amid Juve interest

Cape Town – Manchester United are planning to sit down next week with Tahith Chong in a bid to persuade the talented winger to sign a new deal at Old Trafford.

The 19-year-old Netherlands U21 international is in the final year of his deal and the Red Devils are increasingly concerned at reported interest from Juventus.

Officials at the Theatre of Dreams will need no reminder of how the Italian giants spirited Paul Pogba away from Manchester, after he ran down his contract as a youngster before the club then had to pay out a record to bring him back in 2016.

United are pulling out all the stops in a bid to persuade Chong to commit his long-term future, with a contract worth £30 000-per-week being dangled in front of him.

That would make the Dutch starlet one of the highest-paid youngsters on the United payroll, alongside academy striker team-mate, Mason Greenwood, who recently penned new terms.

Chong’s advisors know they are in a strong position and will travel to England in the coming days knowing how highly their client is rated by boss Ole Gunnar Solskjaer.

The United manager has handed him four senior appearances already this season, although it was clear from those outings that Chong is still a work in progress.

The former Feyenoord youngster captained United’s Under-23 side in Monday night’s 4-1 victory over Middlesbrough, scoring twice late on.

United are convinced Chong is still happy at the club and that they can provide him with a fast-track to regular first-team football in the next couple of years. There is still optimism behind the scenes that an agreement can be reached before January, when Chong is free to then talk to other clubs on the continent – with bosses at Juve leading his queue of admirers.

United were thought to be considering sending Chong out on loan in January in order for him to gain more first-team experience with his opportunities limited at Old Trafford, although that would appear unlikely if they don’t get him tied to a new contract before the winter window opens. – AFP.