Manchester United has contacted Sébastien Haller but faces two major obstacles! The player refuses to play left-back, and the £65 million price tag in the winter window is too high.

Italian transfer expert Fabrizio Romano confirmed that Manchester United has already reached out to Antoine Semenyo's agent to discuss a potential transfer. The 25-year-old Semenyo could be the biggest name moving in the January transfer window, with a £65 million release clause in his contract attracting interest from several top clubs.

Semenyo recently demonstrated his abilities at Old Trafford by scoring a goal, ending his Premier League goal drought since October. This season, the Ghanaian winger has scored 7 goals and provided 3 assists. Last season, he played 42 matches, scoring 13 goals and assisting 7 times, showing consistent performance.

Regarding Semenyo’s transfer situation, Romano explained: "The situation around Semenyo is heating up. This week, both Manchester United and Manchester City called to inquire about him. From Monday to Tuesday, both clubs made calls to understand the details of his £65 million release clause. Other clubs have also taken action; Liverpool called in November and are currently assessing their next steps, including the January window and Salah's future, before deciding on Semenyo’s transfer. Tottenham is genuinely interested as well and has spent considerable time in recent days gathering information."

Manchester United faces two main challenges in signing Semenyo. The first is the price—£65 million is clearly substantial. Additionally, Ruben Amorim’s priority for next year is to bring in several new midfielders rather than making significant investments in the forward line.

United already spent over £200 million in the summer window on Cunha, Mbemba, and Szeszko, which creates another hurdle related to Semenyo’s position. Many Red Devils fans hope he will play as a left wing-back. Semenyo has experience in that role, but the Bournemouth star prefers playing as a winger or forward rather than dropping back to left-back. Moreover, if United’s wing-backs are Semenyo and Amad Diallo, the defense might become too vulnerable.

Romano stated: "Both Manchester City and Manchester United have contacted Semenyo, but United has already invested in Cunha and Mbemba, so we need to see if they can afford the £65 million release clause. Ultimately, the decision lies with the player. Beyond financial income and FFP (Financial Fair Play) considerations, the final choice belongs to the player himself."

Earlier this year, Semenyo clearly stated that his ultimate goal is to become a central striker. "I feel comfortable playing anywhere across the front line, but my ultimate aim is to be a number 9. Of course, if I end up playing on the wings until I retire, I won’t complain," Semenyo said.

Transfer expert Ben Jacobs summarized: "Is Manchester United interested in Semenyo? Yes. Were they interested all summer? Also yes. Will United, as many fans ask me, convert him into a left wing-back? I’m not so sure. I believe the player is fully committed to playing as a winger, and all his best performances have come in that position. So, if United want to acquire him, they must guarantee he plays as a winger or a number 10."

This week, Manchester United has also been linked with another left winger, 19-year-old Said El Mala from Bundesliga club Cologne. He has appeared 14 times this season, scoring 6 goals and providing 3 assists, attracting interest from several top clubs. Bild reports that Premier League sides Manchester United and Tottenham have shown genuine interest and are willing to pay €30 million (£26 million) for him.

Cologne’s sporting director Thomas Keßler recently stated: "If a club makes a genuine offer, Cologne will analyze whether accepting the funds and reinvesting them to strengthen the team is reasonable. If so, we will consider it. But at the moment, there is no reason to do so. We have already increased his salary, and under the new contract, Said El Mala has the opportunity to earn bonuses based on his performances, provided Cologne achieves success and meets the season’s objectives."