MANCHESTER UNITED have been tracking Copenhagen wonderkid Roony Bardghji as he warms up for his side’s Champions League last-16 clash with rivals Manchester City next month.
United dispatched a scout to Portugal to check on Bardghji, 18, in the Atlantic Ocean Cup — an event that Scandinavian clubs use to get back up to speed after the winter break.
The teenager has been on their radar since his stunning winner in the Danish champions’ 4-3 group stage win over the Red Devils in November.
Roony Bardghji kept his composure to fire the loose ball into the back of the net, giving Andre Onana no chance.
And that prompted a superb rendition of “Roony, Roony” around the 38,000-seater stadium – in a clear and brutal jibe at United and their record goalscorer Wayne Rooney.
And the winger didn’t disappoint the United spy in the stands at the Algarve Stadium on Monday, volleying home his side’s late consolation goal in a 2-1 defeat to Brondby after a lively display.
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Bardghji burst onto the scene with Copenhagen in 2021, making his senior debut just six days on from his 16th birthday and scoring his first goal for the club a week later.
The Sweden Under-21 international, who was born in Kuwait City and played football with his Man Utd-mad dad from the age of three, has struck 11 times already this season.
The youngster’s price tag has soared to around £17million with Copenhagen likely to demand a record fee for the Danish Superliga this summer.
His Copenhagen career overlapped briefly with United striker Rasmus Hojlund’s time at the club.
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But the pair never appeared on the pitch together with Bardghji substituted off on his debut before Hojlund made it on for his final league appearance in Denmark.
Pep Guardiola’s City side will be acutely aware of his threat ahead of the first leg of next month’s Champions League last-16 clash, which will be Copenhagen’s first competitive game since December.
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Meanwhile, United will watch Bardghji again on Friday in his club’s next warm-up match against Molde and deploy scouts to both legs of the City tie.
They are on the lookout for a right-winger after giving up on Jadon Sancho, who has been loaned back to Borussia Dortmund and put up for sale for over £40million.
Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk
