Manchester United competes with Tottenham, Fiorentina for Igor Matanović

Igor Matanović went from a relatively quiet €8 million signing to one of the most sought-after young strikers in Europe in roughly 12 months. Now Manchester United, Tottenham Hotspur, and Fiorentina are all circling the 23-year-old Croatian forward as the summer transfer window winds down.

The three-way pursuit, reported by La Gazzetta dello Sport, has intensified in the final stretch of the window, with each club eyeing Matanović for different but equally pressing reasons. His current market valuation sits at €22 million, according to Transfermarkt, nearly tripling the fee Freiburg paid Eintracht Frankfurt just last summer.

A breakout season in Breisgau

Matanović’s case for a move to a bigger club is built on a simple foundation: goals. He netted 15 in all competitions during the 2025/26 campaign, with 11 of those coming across 31 Bundesliga appearances. For a player making his first full season at Freiburg, those are the kind of numbers that make scouts start clearing their schedules.

Freiburg reached the Europa League final this past season, and Matanović was a significant part of that run.

Standing at 1.95 meters tall, Matanović brings the kind of physical profile that Premier League clubs in particular tend to covet. The comparisons to Mario Mandžukić have already started in Croatian football circles, which is both a compliment and a heavy burden for a player with just 12 senior international caps and 2 goals to his name so far.

Born on March 31, 2003, he came through the ranks at Eintracht Frankfurt before Freiburg picked him up on July 9, 2025, for approximately €8 million.

Three clubs, three motivations

Manchester United’s interest was first flagged by journalist Ben Jacobs in mid-August. For United, the pursuit of Matanović fits a familiar pattern of targeting young, high-ceiling forwards who can grow into a starting role rather than demanding one immediately.

Fiorentina’s angle is slightly different. The Italian club’s pursuit appears to be directly tied to the anticipated departure of Moise Kean, who is expected to move to Como. Losing a senior forward naturally creates a gap that needs filling, and Matanović’s style of play, a tall target striker who can hold the ball and finish, would translate well to Serie A.

What Freiburg stands to gain

For Freiburg, this is the kind of scenario they’ve navigated before. The club’s entire model is built on developing or identifying undervalued talent, extracting strong performances, and then selling at a significant markup. Buying Matanović for €8 million and potentially selling for well north of €22 million, especially if a bidding war erupts, would be textbook Freiburg business.

Matanović himself has to weigh a few factors. A move to Manchester United or Tottenham would mean a significant step up in competition, salary, and visibility, but also a risk that he ends up on the bench behind more established options. Fiorentina might offer a clearer path to regular starts, especially if Kean departs.

At 23, Matanović is at the stage where consistent club football at the highest possible level could cement his place in Croatia’s squad for years to come.

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