One Manchester United player is set to transfer as soon as the winter window opens! A formal offer has been received, and he will face Onana in the Turkish Super League showdown.

Manchester United academy prospect Sam Mather is very likely to complete his transfer early in the January winter window. Turkish Süper Lig club Kayserispor has submitted an official bid, aiming to sign the winger immediately. Notably, this marks Kayserispor’s second consecutive transfer window pursuit of Mather, having negotiated with him in the summer, but time constraints prevented a deal then.

The 21-year-old Mather, alongside players like Kobie Menno and Garnacho, helped Manchester United win the 2022 FA Youth Cup. However, he has yet to make a first-team appearance and is eager to leave to start his professional career with a senior team elsewhere.

He is also expected to attract interest from clubs in the US, Germany, or Greece in January. However, Kayserispor’s strong desire to acquire him has led them to make the first official offer, which Manchester United is currently considering, and Mather has already begun personal terms discussions with them.

Kayserispor aims to finalize the transfer swiftly so Mather can join their mid-season training camp and integrate into the squad quickly. Their winter training starts next week, and Manchester United is willing to make concessions to allow Mather to leave early, avoiding a repeat of the summer window situation.

Previously, Mather’s last-minute move to the Turkish league fell through, and subsequent talks with a UAE club also failed because they refused Manchester United’s buy-back clause. Remaining at United this season, Mather has trained with the first team under Ruben Amorim but has only featured in six U21 matches, including games earlier this month against National League side Tamworth and in the Premier League International Cup against Borussia Dortmund.

Manchester United wants to help Mather find a transfer opportunity that will foster his career development. They had already held in-depth talks with Kayserispor during the final days of the Turkish summer window in early September, so extensive new discussions are unnecessary this time.

Six months ago, Kayserispor agreed on the transfer fee and buyout terms and reached a verbal agreement on personal terms with Mather. Manchester United set a deadline for finalizing the deal and stated that board approval was needed for the official signing, but the club ultimately decided there wasn’t enough time to complete the process.

Mather is no longer suited to continue in the youth system and is therefore eager to leave the club he has been with since childhood to truly become a professional player. During his time in United’s academy, he mainly played as a left winger, though his preferred position is actually number 10. Mather’s contract with Manchester United runs until summer 2027, and the club expects to receive only a nominal transfer fee, likely under £500,000, with clauses including buy-back options and a percentage of any future sale.

The BBC reported that the New England Revolution from Major League Soccer has also shown interest in Mather, but he may prefer to continue playing in Europe. The Turkish league has several former Manchester United players, and if Mather joins Kayserispor, he will face Trabzonspor at home in March, a team featuring Manchester United-loaned goalkeeper André Onana.

The European winter transfer window opened at midnight on January 1st and will close at 7 pm on February 2nd. Fans will be closely watching which Manchester United players will be bought or sold over the coming month.