AC Milan are on the verge of securing a loan deal for Bayer Leverkusen striker Victor Boniface, a move that could effectively end their pursuit of Manchester United’s Rasmus Hojlund.
The Italian club had been keen to sign Hojlund on a loan deal, but negotiations stalled as the Danish forward, 22, was hesitant to agree to a transfer without a mandatory purchase clause.
In response, Milan has turned its attention to Boniface, with a deal that includes an option to make the transfer permanent next summer.
This development comes at a difficult time for Hojlund, who recently affirmed his intention to stay at Manchester United despite an inconsistent start to his career there.
The situation at Old Trafford has become more complex for the forward following the club’s recent £73.7m acquisition of Slovenia international Benjamin Sesko.
Hojlund’s place in the squad has come into question after he was benched for the final pre-season match and then completely left out of the squad for the Premier League defeat against Arsenal.
Manchester United manager Ruben Amorim explained the decision by stating that Hojlund “had similar characteristics” to the new signing, Sesko.