Manchester United manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer looking forward to seeing Dayot Upamecano ‘close up’
Upamecano linked with Old Trafford during summer transfer window
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Your support makes all the difference.Ole Gunnar Solskjaer is looking forward to seeing Dayot Upamecano "close up" but remain tight-lipped about Manchester United's interest in the RB Leipzig centre-back.
Upamecano was linked with Old Trafford during the summer transfer window before signing a new contract at the Red Bull Arena, extending his stay at the Bundesliga club up until 2023.
The 22-year-old could still leave Leipzig next summer - when a purported €42m release clause in his new deal is set to be activated - though United are expected to face competition from other top European clubs.
Solskjaer was asked directly about Upamecano before Leipzig's visit to Old Trafford for a Champions League group stage clash on Wednesday night but merely said that he is looking forward to watching the France international play in the flesh.
"There's always rumours and speculation about good players for Manchester United," Solskjaer said. "I've always tried to respect that they are players for other teams and don't want to comment on every player we are linked to.
"But since he's playing against us tomorrow, I know he's a very good player so we can see him close up tomorrow."
United's hopes of progressing from Group H were boosted last week by an impressive 2-1 victory away to last season's beaten finalists Paris Saint-Germain.
Solskjaer and his players now face beaten semi-finalists in Leipzig and the United manager is impressed with how the club has become a major force in European football since their takeover by Red Bull in 2009.
"They are a club that has come up through the ranks very impressively and almost improved every single season," he said.
"Last season, third in the Bundesliga. Now they've started really well, got to the semi-finals and they're really going for the big trophies.
"You have a young coach, a proactive coach, a very interesting coach to watch who's very adaptable and with players who've got high energy, high tempo. All in all, they've been very interesting to follow the last few years."
"I know Julian [Nagelsmann] is very adaptable, he’s capable of putting teams together out in different formations but the style is always there. The style is he always wants to be dominant.
"It’s high tempo, it’s high pressure so we prepare for a difficult game against a difficult team that can play in many different ways."
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