Manchester United are "exploring" other ways they could do a deal for Atalanta striker Rasmus Hojlund, with Amad Diallo potentially being sent out on loan to the Italian club, according to Sky Sports reporter Dharmesh Sheth.
What's the latest on Rasmus Hojlund to Man United?
Sheth has recently told GiveMeSport that it looks like Hojlund is now Man United's number one striker target, however there are "question marks" about whether he would be able to come straight in and be the first-choice striker at Old Trafford.
Fabrizio Romano reports that personal terms have never been an issue, as the Dane is "very keen" on a move to United, but there is yet to be an offer made, and Paris Saint-Germain have also made an enquiry about the forward.
The Red Devils believe they will be able to get a deal done for around £50m this summer, although the deal may have to wait until the Glazers sell the club, with Erik ten Hag working under a strict budget due to financial fair play considerations.
Speaking live on Sky Sports, Sheth has now confirmed that United are looking at other ways to sign the 20-year-old, which could potentially reduce the transfer fee.
The reporter said: "There seems to be a willingness and a cautious optimism that maybe a deal can be struck, because I think United are getting encouraging signs, rather like with Onana, that Hojlund would want to make that move to Old Trafford.
"I think United are also exploring other ways that they could do a deal. Maybe, the possibility of loaning Amad Diallo to Atalanta, however some of the noises we're hearing is that Erik ten Hag, after his impressive season at Sunderland last season, wants to see him in pre-season first before making a decision on Amad Diallo.
"Diallo actually joined United from Atalanta a couple of seasons ago, so definitely one to watch, but United, without being confident, I think the direction of travel suggests that talks are going positively over Hojlund."
How many goals does Hojlund have for Atalanta?
After joining the Serie A club last season, the starlet went on to enjoy a solid, if not spectacular, start to life in Italy, scoring ten goals in 34 appearances in all competitions, while also registering two assists.
Although those numbers do not suggest he would immediately be a huge success at Old Trafford, football scout Jacek Kulig believes the youngster has a great deal of potential, having described him as an "absolute monster in the making."
The Denmark international has slightly under-peformed his expected goals over the past year, and he has struggled to create many chances for his teammates, ranking in just the 41st percentile for assists per 90, when compared to his positional peers.
It could be a sensible decision to use Diallo in the negotiations, to give the youngster what would hopefully be another full season of first-team football, but they will have to be patient with Hojlund, as he too is still developing.
