Manchester United have signed Senegal Under-21 striker Mame Biram Diouf from Norwegian club Molde.


United are currently on tour in Asia and manager Sir Alex Ferguson revealed he had bolstered the squad with a mystery signing at the team hotel in Kuala Lumpur.

"We signed a young player yesterday from Norway, who we've been looking at for two years," Ferguson said.

"We weren't intending on signing anyone else after last week - we feel we have a full squad - but the situation accelerated to a point where other clubs started to make bids, so we had to decide whether we acted or didn't act. We decided to act and he'll be the last person we sign."

Although Ferguson did not name the player it was later revealed by Molde that the player was Biram Diouf, who was also being tracked by Steve McClaren's FC Twente, Schalke'04, Udinese and Dutch Eredivisie side FC Groningen.

"Mame Biram Diouf will go through medical checks at Manchester United next week and will join the club in January," the club said.

The 21-year-old forward joined Molde in January 2007 and has scored 23 goals in just over 50 league appearances for the Norwegian club.

United chief executive David Gill said: "He was signed yesterday and he needs a work permit. He'll stay on loan where he is and we'll look to bring him [to Manchester] in January."

United have good links with Molde as former striker and now reserve team manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer was recruited from the club.

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