Manchester United 'scouting' Napoli duo as they impress in Serie A clash with Empoli

According to Tuttomercatoweb, scouts from Old Trafford travelled to Italy to watch Napoli’s 1-0 win against Empoli, helping Gli Azzurri stay top of the league.

It’s thought that the scouts were keeping a close eye on two players in particular - Khvicha Kvaratskhelia and Alessandro Buongiorno. Kvaratskhelia scored the penalty to win the match for the Italian giants, while Buongiorno was awarded man of the match for his defensive efforts.

Of the two players, Kvaratskhelia is more likely to leave the club after drawing the attention of some of Europe’s top sides in the past couple of seasons, especially after his performances in the 2024 Euros during the summer. Furthermore, talks over a new contract are stalling, with his agent apparently requesting the Georgian receives a salary of €8m per year.

Meanwhile, Buongiorno only arrived at Napoli in the summer, for a €40m fee from Torino. He also has a €70m release clause, but this only becomes active in June 2027 for clubs outside Italy.

It comes as Man United continue to be linked with signing a defender, with rumours also linking them with the likes of Ronald Araujo and Alphonso Davies.

Arsenal want Brentford’s star man

After striker Ivan Toney left Brentford for the Saudi Pro League in the summer, it has been Cameroon’s Bryan Mbeumo who has stepped up for the Bees this season. The 25-year-old has scored six goals in the first eight Premier League games, putting him second only to Erling Haaland in the golden boot race.

With his versatility across the attacking line - capable of playing up front, on the wing or as a second striker - has caught the attention of Arsenal, according to Football Insider. It comes after Bukayo Saka was injured while on international duty with England, and Martin Odegaard’s injury in the previous international break, sparking concerns about the Gunners’ squad depth.

Former chief scout Mick Brown said: “I’ve heard the Arsenal hierarchy have held discussions about what happens if certain players get injured, and that includes Saka. They want to get to a point where they have a solid backup for every player in their starting XI.

“Long-term, they’ll be planning to strengthen in every position. But that applies to Saka certainly, because a winger who’s always looking to take people on is always likely to get a whack and pick up a knock.”