£30m star told to wait for future Manchester United as he nears Premier League competitor

One highly rated Eredivisie midfielder is being encouraged to wait for a better offer as Brighton close in on his services.

Since the arrival of Erik ten Hag back in 2022, the Red Devils have signed no fewer than seven players who either worked with the former Ajax boss or came up against him in the Eredivisie.

Of those seven, arguably only one – the imperious Lisandro Martinez – can be considered a total success. The jury remains out on Andre Onana and Mason Mount, while Antony at £82 million looks destined to go down as one of the worst pound-for-pound additions in the Red Devils’ history.

So there may not be too much clamour for Manchester United to enter the Dutch market again this summer.

Mats Wieffer is a player of obvious potential and ability – one of the key cogs in Arne Slot’s 2023 Eredivisie-winning machine at Feyenoord – but the fingers of many a Red Devils supporter have been burned by the failures of previous transfer windows.

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Mats Wieffer told to wait for Manchester United

Wieffer is closing in on a £25 million move that will see him follow Martinez, Antony and co to England.

Brighton and Hove Albion are now in the final stages of discussions with the powerhouse Dutch international, The Mail report.

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Now, while Brighton have proven themselves to be a capable launchpad for good young players hoping to become great ones, Dutch reporter Valentijn Driessen cannot help but wonder if Weiffer should be setting his sights a little higher.

Could a move to Man United have presented itself with another year of Eredivisie football under his belt?

“I read that Mats Wieffer is of interest to Brighton and that he might (go) there. That would of course be a very bad signal for Feyenoord,” Driessen tells De Telegraaf. “If Feyenoord loses one of its best players to Brighton…

“It should be the case that the best players of Feyenoord, who normally play in the Dutch national team, go towards the real (top clubs).

“Manchester United, Liverpool, Tottenham Hotspur, Atletico Madrid. Those kinds of clubs.”

Of course, it is not exactly uncommon for a gifted footballer to spend a year or two at Brighton and then move on to one of Europe’s elite. See Alexis Mac Allister, Ben White and Leandro Trossard, for instance.

Driessen, however, feels that Wieffer should have cut out the middle man and committed his future to Feyenord until a club of Man United or Liverpool’s stature made their move.

Aim high, says outspoken Dutch reporter

“Is a top player worthy of Brighton? Come on, Wieffer should just aim high!,” Driessen argues. “I also don’t understand why (Wieffer’s camp) are talking to Brighton. I’d rather stay at Feyenoord for another year and play in the Champions League than go play for Brighton.

“(The Premier League is) a great competition. But your club is nothing.”

Now, there are plenty at Brighton who would obviously take issue with Driessen’s final statement.

Brighton were, after all, a Europa League outfit last term. Only a penalty shoot-out defeat to Erik ten Hag’s Man United denied them a place in the FA Cup final back in 2023 too.

Driessen is, however, a little more positive about the deal which could take Matthijs de Ligt to Man United from Bayern Munich.

“De Ligt has had a fantastic six months,” Driessen tells De Telegraaf. “Now, with Ten Hag, hopefully we get to see the old De Ligt there (at Man United).”

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