Manchester United, Arsenal, Aston Villa, Manchester City and Tottenham are all 'keeping an eye' on Ivorian starlet

In the closing stages of the summer transfer window, Manchester United made enquiries about a forward currently playing in Saudi Arabia. The door, however, did not open.

In February 2026, Al-Hilal beat eight Premier League clubs to sign Stade Rennais wonderkid Kader Meite. The Saudi club secured the 18-year-old forward in a £25.5 million deal, a significant fee for such a young, highly promising player.

While the English clubs were content to simply monitor him, the Saudi Pro League side moved straight into action.

Kader Meite's difficult start at Al-Hilal

Simone Inzaghi also played a key role in convincing the Ivorian Under-21 international to sanction the move.

A few months on, Kader Meite has not quite lived up to expectations, scoring just two goals in 12 appearances. The 6ft 4in forward faced stiff competition from Karim Benzema last season and has now seen Ollie Watkins arrive at the club this summer.

Despite his difficult start at Al-Hilal, the former Rennes forward still holds significant value on the market. Already interested in his profile last winter, Manchester United made enquiries about the young forward in the closing stages of the summer window, according to TEAMtalk. The same applies to Arsenal.

Al-Hilal reject Manchester United and Arsenal approaches

The Red Devils have maintained contact with the Creteil-born player and remain interested in the centre-forward's potential.

It is worth noting that, according to the British outlet, Arsenal, Aston Villa, Manchester City and Tottenham have also been kept informed of Kader Meite's situation. The Premier League, then, has not forgotten him.

However, this summer, Al-Hilal were unwilling to open the door to their forward's departure, just six months after his arrival. The Saudi club remains convinced of the young player's potential.

According to the same source, Meite himself had been considering a return to Europe this summer, but was not given permission to leave. His future is expected to become a talking point again in the coming months, with Manchester United, in particular, still lurking in the background of this saga.