Man Utd in 'five-team hunt' for 22-year-old assist king as Ruben Amorim learns January transfer answer

Manchester United have reportedly joined the race to sign a talented South American winger who is making waves in the Jupiler Pro League.

The Red Devils will soon wave goodbye to three of their wide talents, as Noussair Mazraoui (Morocco), Amad Diallo (Ivory Coast) and Bryan Mbeumo (Cameroon) will jet off to compete at the Africa Cup of Nations.

The trio will be available for Monday's clash with Wolverhampton Wanderers, but Ruben Amorim is not sure whether they will still be in Manchester for the showdown with Bournemouth on December 15.

The latter date marks the start of the release period for the upcoming AFCON, and the absences of Mazraoui, Diallo and Mbeumo will reduce Amorim's options both in attack and at wing-back for a number of weeks.

Matheus Cunha, Mason Mount and Bruno Fernandes are all capable of operating behind the striker, while Diogo Dalot will likely have to hold the fort at right wing-back.

Man United in 'five-team transfer hunt' for 22-year-old winger

With the January transfer window coming into view, Man Utd could turn to the market to replace the international trio, and TEAMtalk claims that they have been alerted to the progress of Anderlecht's Nilson Angulo.

The 22-year-old came through the youth system of LDU Quito in his native Argentina before joining Anderlecht in 2022, when he commanded a paltry fee of just £1.7m.

After a couple of underwhelming seasons, Angulo has shone in the early stages of the 2025-26 campaign, scoring four goals and setting up eight more in 22 matches across all competitions.

With seven assists in the Belgian top flight alone, Angulo has set up more goals than any other player in the division this term, and the 2003-born attacker has also become a stalwart of the Ecuador squad in recent months.

Angulo primarily plays off the left-hand side, but he is also comfortable on the right flank, and he signed a new long-term deal with Anderlecht until 2029 last summer.

As well as Man United, Tottenham Hotspur are supposedly in the race for the South American, who has also attracted glances from Brentford, Brighton & Hove Albion and Leeds United.

Why Man Utd may not secure January deal for Nilson Angulo

Now a stalwart of the Anderlecht setup, Angulo has started 16 of the Belgian giants' 17 league games so far this season, catching the eye of national team coaches in the process.

Ecuador will be going to the 2026 World Cup - the Tricolors have been placed in Group E with Germany, Curacao and Ivory Coast - and Angulo is very much on course to make the national team squad for the Mundial.

As a result, the 22-year-old could decide to stay with Anderlecht for the second half of the season, as opposed to joining a club of Man Utd's calibre and risk reduced minutes and output.

A breakthrough World Cup could also help Anderlecht drive up the price next summer, but given his long-running contract, they are already under no pressure to sell on the cheap.