Manchester United’s management has prepared a shortlist of desired reinforcements for the upcoming summer transfer window in order to return the Red Devils to contention for the Premier League title.
Michael Carrick is currently managing United on an interim basis until the end of the season, and it has become likely that he will be offered a permanent contract after the exceptional start with victories over Manchester City and Arsenal.
The Daily Mail reported that United’s management is paying particular attention to signing a left winger and has identified three names as potential targets for one or both this summer.
Rafael Leão, the AC Milan winger, tops United’s list of targets, especially since the Italian club is willing to negotiate the sale of the Portuguese international. However, his price tag is expected to exceed €70 million.
Manchester United’s management prefers to search for players with prior Premier League experience, which led to the inclusion of Everton’s Eliamin Ndiaye and Chelsea’s Terry George on their shortlist, following Rafael Leão.
Meanwhile, the Red Devils are also keen on signing a world-class midfielder and have identified Nottingham Forest’s Elliott Anderson as their preferred option, although bringing him to Old Trafford will be a very difficult task.
Anderson is also attracting significant interest from Manchester City, and signing him would require a major bidding war, including offering him a substantial salary to entice him to choose between the Reds and the Blues.
Other names being considered to bolster United’s midfield include Crystal Palace’s Adam Wharton, who is also wanted by Liverpool and Real Madrid, as well as Portuguese midfielder Carlos Baleba.
At the same time, United’s management plans to sell several players this summer to reduce expenses and ensure financial sustainability. Among the most prominent is Marcus Rashford, who will not return from his loan spell at Barcelona even after Ruben Amorim’s departure.
United want to sell Andre Onana, who is on loan this season to Trabzonspor, along with Dutch striker Joshua Zirkzee, who earns £375,000 a week and has not yet delivered the expected performance.
