Youssouf Fofana withdrawn from AS Monaco squad as exit rumours mount

A major hint has been dropped that Monaco’s Youssouf Fofana is on the move.

The midfielder is a major target for both AC Milan and Manchester United as both teams aim to bolster their defensive midfield.

Fofana refused a move to West Ham earlier in the summer after a €35 million bid was accepted by the Ligue 1 side.

This encouraged Milan to put in a low-ball offer of €20 million, with the player accepting personal terms with the Serie A outfit and seeming to have his heart set on a move.

However, Manchester United then came calling and it is understood that they could have turned the Frenchman’s head, much as they did with Joshua Zirkzee, who was also Milan-bound.

Fofana’s omission from the Monaco squad, who played Barcelona yesterday, was an indication he is on the move.

“This is not a choice linked to his physical condition, given that Fofana, after his post-European Championship holidays, has been training regularly for eleven days,” the outlet says.

“The player has made his voice heard by the French management and has explained that his intention is to change shirts already in this transfer session.”

Gazzetta also claim that Monaco are now ready to drop their asking price for Fofana to just €25 million (£21m), but Milan are only offering €20 million.

Some papers seem convinced his heart is set on a move to the San Siro, while others acknowledge Milan are concerned about United’s interest and have been lining up alternatives, including Borussia Monchengladbach’s Emmanuel Kone and Nottingham Forest’s Danilo.

United have also been linked with Danilo, adding yet another twist to this complicated plot.

As for Fofana, his exclusion from last night’s 3-0 victory over the Blaugrana would suggest he is almost certainly going somewhere. And given that Milan are struggling to meet the valuation, it would not be unreasonable to suspect that United could be closing in on his signature.

At that price, Fofana would seem to offer much better value for money than other shortlisted stars such as Sander Berge, Danilo and Ugarte.