Manchester United FLOP has left Old Trafford this morning to join Saudi Arabia side in £50 miilin move
No Manchester United supporter would be honest if they said that this summer transfer window isn’t significantly more vital than previous ones.
Following a disappointing eighth-place finish in the Premier League, Sir Jim Ratcliffe enters his first summer transfer window as co-owner, seeking to make a statement about his plans for the football club. Initial thoughts suggest that the British tycoon intends to be thrifty in the transfer window, which is logical given prior summers’ large net spending.
However, this does not excuse the INEOS founder from cutting corners in some of the team’s major gaps. So, before the summer drama begins, MEN Sport has assessed the club’s priorities.
Ten Hag has made a decision
This should be fenced off by the beginning of next week, but Ratcliffe must decide on Ten Hag’s future before any rebuilding can commence. As May progressed, it became increasingly clear that keeping the Dutchman as manager for next season was the best option.
There will be a lot of upheaval at Old Trafford this summer, so a sense of familiarity is required. After the crushing defeat at Crystal Palace, you might be forgiven for believing the players had given up on Ten Hag and were actively preparing for his departure, but their response since then has been positive, and the FA Cup final triumph was the cherry on top.
Ten Hag benefits from a dearth of choices in the manager market as well. Bayern Munich has just recruited freshly relegated Burnley manager Vincent Kompany, demonstrating how tiny the pool of qualified managers is.
Zinedine Zidane is the only definite upgrade for Ten Hag, and his odds of coming are little to none.
Branthwaite Signs
With Ten Hag’s future secured, signing a centre-back should be the next priority. Lisandro Martinez and Harry Maguire are the only sure center defenders for next season, therefore at least one more starter is required.
MEN Sport believes Everton’s Jarrad Branthwaite is a player of interest, and he matches the profile of what United want to establish. He is a raw talent who is sure to improve, especially if he makes Gareth Southgate’s 26-man group for Euro 2024.
Branthwaite might cost up to £80 million, but at 21, he is undoubtedly an investment that could prove to be a stroke of brilliance in just a few years.
