Man Utd join Arsenal in race for Slavia Prague starlet Abdallah Sima

Manchester United are the latest side to register their interest in 19-year-old Slavia Prague sensation Abdallah Sima, who has been making waves for the Czech side this season.

Sima only made his senior debut for Slavia back in September 2020 but has already blossomed into one of the team's best players. He has bagged 15 goals and six assists in 29 appearances this year, including strikes against the likes of Leicester City and Nice in the Europa League.

His form has caught the eye of a number of sides. Everton were credited with an interest in February, while Eurosport believe Arsenal and West Ham have been pushing hard for his signature, and now the Manchester Evening News state that United have thrown their hat in the ring.

United have recently focused on signing football's highest-rated teenagers, with club officials happy to spend big fees in the hope that a handful of those youngsters turn into £100m-rated players.

Amad Diallo is the highest-profile example, but the likes of Hannibal Mejbri and Facundo Pellistri are two of several big-money signings which have bolstered United's academy in recent years.

Scouts have identified Sima as a potential target. The towering Senegalese winger has spent most of his career out on the right but is expected to transition into a centre-forward in the future - one of many reasons why he has been compared to Arsenal legend Thierry Henry.

Because of the UK's exit from the European Union, any player joining from a European side must be awarded a Governing Body Endorsement before they can join an English team. The rules are designed to stop English sides hoarding foreign talent, but Sima's pedigree as a first-team star already means he would likely receive a GBE for a move to England.

Earlier this year, West Ham midfielder Tomas Soucek admitted he had urged his club to sign Sima, who was rumoured to come with a £35m price tag.

Slavia president Jaroslav Tvrdik took to Twitter to label the rumour as 'not true', but whether he was referring to the fee or the Hammers' interest is unclear.

Should United sign Sima, it would give them a complete overload of young forwards. Amad, Shola Shoretire and Anthony Elanga are all on the cusp of breakthroughs in the hope of battling 19-year-old Mason Greenwood for a spot in the first team, so adding Sima might cause a headache or two.

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