Manchester United will refuse to bid more than £60million for Atalanta’s Rasmus Hojlund.
The Danish striker, 20, remains United’s No 1 target even though it has emerged that Tottenham are under increasing pressure to sell Harry Kane this summer.
United have been in talks with Atalanta for weeks and it is understood that an opening bid is imminent.
However, United are determined not to spend above £60m on Hojlund, who only cost Atalanta £15m when he moved from Sturm Graz 11 months ago and scored nine goals in Serie A last season.
The transfer fee has been a sticking point from the start of the talks with Atalanta’s demand for £86m way in excess of what United were expecting to pay.
Having already spent £110m of a tight budget on Mason Mount and Andre Onana, United will already have to sell players in order to sign Hojlund.
Sources say that even paying an additional £10m on the former Copenhagen striker will affect any future business due to Financial Fair Play restrictions.
United also maintain an interest in Randal Kolo Muani of Eintracht Frankfurt, but have ruled themselves out of the race for Kane even though Spurs owner Joe Lewis has told chairman Daniel Levy to sell the England captain this summer if he won’t sign a new contract at the club.
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