Man Utd, City, Liverpool and Arsenal 'all vying for RB Salzburg man'

Manchester United, Manchester City, Liverpool and Arsenal ‘all vying for Red Bull Salzburg forward Patson Daka’s signature’ after the 22-year-old’s 20 goals in 18 Austrian Bundesliga games so far this season

  • Patson Daka is enjoying his most prolific season at Red Bull Salzburg to date 
  • The Zambian joined the side in 2017 and has 61 goals in 114 games for them
  • Daka bagged two goals against Liverpool in a pre-season friendly last August
  • His national team coach Milutin Sredejovic has compared Daka to Samuel Eto’o
  • The forward is valued at €20million (£17m) – but that figure is likely to soar 

Manchester United, Manchester City, Liverpool and Arsenal are all reportedly in the hunt to sign Red Bull Salzburg forward Patson Daka.

The Zambian has enjoyed a sensational season in front of goal for the Austrian side, having scored 27 goals in 31 games across all competitions, including an incredible 20 strikes in 18 matches in the country’s Bundesliga to make him comfortably the league’s top scorer. 

Daka also bagged two goals in a pre-season friendly against Liverpool last August as well as a double in a 5-2 aggregate win over Maccabi Tel Aviv last September to help the team qualify for the Champions League, with Salzburger Nachrichten reporting that the four English heavyweights are all showing an interest in the forward, valued at €20million (£17m) with that figure likely to soar.

Patson Daka has been on fire this season and is the top goalscorer in the Austrian Bundesliga

The 22-year-old hopes to follow in the footsteps of the likes of Mo Salah and Sadio Mane

In an interview with BBC Sport in January, Daka spoke about his ambition to follow in the footsteps of the great African goalscorers who have made headlines in the Premier League over the last few seasons.

‘To see our big brothers like (Pierre-Emerick) Aubameyang, (Mo) Salah and (Sadio) Mane, it’s something that gives me the dream that I can also make it. I can be like them. They are my inspiration, knowing that they also come from Africa.

‘I think when people are making those kind of comparisons, it’s great, looking at the status of Sadio Mane, the kind of football he plays and the kind of person that he is.’

Zambia’s head coach Milutin Sredejovic also has high hopes for the 22-year-old and believes he can emulate the achievements of another sharpshooter from the continent. 

‘I would say he’s on the road to replace what Samuel Eto’o once was in representing Africa and African football,’ Sredejovic said. 

‘He could be compared to Sadio Mane or Samuel Eto’o, with the level of skill and speed that he has, with the sense for space, sense of positioning, in the right place at the right time.’ 

Zambia’s head coach has compared Daka to Barcelona and Cameroon legend Samuel Eto’o

All four English sides linked with Daka have had their troubles in front of goal, with only the Red Devils registering more goals per game in the Premier League this season than last. 

However, the Red Devils are yet to see any of their forwards reach double figures for league goals this campaign and are uncertain about the future of Edinson Cavani, whose option for a contract extension has not yet been triggered, with the Uruguayan set to leave Old Trafford in October this year.

RB Salzburg are on course to win the Austrian top flight for the eighth season running, but Jesse Marsch’s men have not had it all their own way this season. 

They missed out on qualification for the knockout stages of the Champions League after finishing third in a group containing Bayern Munich, Atletico Madrid and Lokomotiv Moscow.

Edinson Cavani’s Manchester United looks uncertain as he waits for a contract extension

Takumi Minamino and Erling Haaland are among those who have left RB Salzburg recently

RB Salzburg were then demoted to the Europa League, but came unstuck in the round of 32 against Villarreal, losing 4-1 on aggregate. 

The noise around Daka is not a new phenomenon for Die Roten Bullen, who have become accustomed to losing their top players over the years. 

The team saw inspirational creator force Dominik Szoboszlai depart for Red Bull Leipzig on New Year’s Day and lost influential pair Takumi Minamino and Erling Haaland to Liverpool and Borussia Dortmund respectively in January 2020.




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