Manchester United Saw Approach for Barcelona Prodigy Adama Traore Rejected

Manchester United had an approach rejected by Barcelona for teenager Adama Traore during the final days of the summer transfer window, according to reports in Spain.

The 18-year-old proved to be one of the jewels of the club's famed La Masia academy during his break-out season in the Barcelona B team last year, making 26 appearances in the Spanish second division and scoring five goals.

Former manager Tata Martino rewarded him with a La Liga debut against Granada last season while he has also been regular with the Spanish national team at all youth levels.

Reports earlier this summer claimed Everton manager Roberto Martinez had earmarked him as the perfect replacement for Gerard Deulofeu but now Spanish newspaper Sport claim United also approached the player regarding a summer move - while Tottenham and Stoke City also monitored his situation.

According to Sport, the Premier League giants "tried to sign Adama until the last days" of the transfer window as Louis van Gaal was very keen on the player.

The Dutch manager has a reputation for fostering young talents and he believed a fast winger like Adama would have fit seamlessly in his system.

Sport claim Adama was also weighing up his future at Barca with first team opportunities likely to be scarce given the presence of Lionel Messi, Neymar, Luis Suarez and Pedro – especially after seeing younsters Munir El-Haddadi and Sandro Ramírez picked ahead of him at the start of the campaign.

However, the Barcelona board met with his agent to convince him Adama is an important part of their future while rejecting United's advances.

Indeed, Sport says the Catalans are now planning to offer him a new contract which will increase his current £9.5m release clause in order to avoid a future departure.