Manchester United will have a lot of work to do in the transfer market this summer as Erik ten Hag sets out to return his team to the Premier League’s top four next term
Erik ten Hag will still be Manchester United boss for the coming season, but it’s others around Old Trafford who will have a big say in transfer business.
The former Ajax boss has survived after a tough season, but his transfer business has come under scrutiny. The likes of Antony, Casemiro and Mason Mount struggled for varying reasons last term, and could prove to be expensive mistakes.
United will keep more of a separation, with those behind the scenes working hard to identify and land targets. Ten Hag’s role will be on the training ground and in the dugout, with part-owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe surely looking for a big improvement on last season’s eighth-place finish.
Some big-money moves have already been mooted, and it appears to point to a younger set of targets. Here’s the latest from around Old Trafford.
United enter race for Simons
Manchester United could find themselves doing battle with Arsenal this summer. Thatr’s because, according to L’Equipe (via Metro), both sides are keen on Xavi Simons.
Simons, 21, impressed against Arsenal for PSV Eindhoven in the 2022-23 season. He rejoined former club Paris Saint-Germain at the end of that campaign, but spent the last season on loan at RB Leipzig.
After eight Bundesliga goals, the Dutch international’s future is once again up in the air. The winger is valued at an estimated £51million, with those reports in France indicating nothing has yet been decided about what might come next.
Barca in for Williams
Manchester United-linked winger Nico Williams has also been attracting interest from Barcelona. According to Sport (via Football Espana), Arsenal and Chelsea complete the set of four clubs in the hunt for the Athletic Club star.
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Williams, 21, scored five times for Athletic last season and added 11 assists – the second most in La Liga. He is part of Spain’s Euro 2024 squad, and started the opener against Croatia.
Spain won that game 3-0, with all of their goals coming before half-time. Alvaro Morata opened the scoring, with Fabian Ruiz and Dani Carvajal also on target.
United ‘sharpen claws’ over Inacio
Goncalo Inacio is one name we’ve repeatedly seen in United transfer columns. And, according to reports in Portugal, the Sporting CP defender remains on the club’s radar.
A Bola (via Sport Witness) reports that United are ‘sharpening their claws’ with a view to matching the player’s £51m release clause this summer. That could make him cheaper than Everton’s Jarrad Branthwaite, with the Merseyside club holding out for a big fee for the England international.
Inacio, 22, has been on Sporting’s books since he was a child. He made his 100th Primeira Liga appearance last season, and is part of Portugal’s Euro 2024 squad.
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