“They wanted to sign him and replace Bruno Fernandes, until Bruno accepted a new deal. They might be regretting their decisions agter Bruno Fernandes poor performances this season. He really wanted to come to Manchester United but was left heartbroken”-Fabrizio Romano reveals the blockbuster signing Man Utd missed out on during the summer transfer window as they plan to replace Bruno Fernandes.
Manchester United made five acquisitions during the summer transfer window, but according to transfer expert Fabrizio Romano, they failed in their attempt to secure an additional attacking player.
Erik ten Hag’s side bolstered several key positions as they look to build on their FA Cup triumph from last season and target a return to Champions League football.
Among their signings, United paid £36.5 million to acquire Joshua Zirkzee from Bologna and outmaneuvered Real Madrid to sign French defender Leny Yoro from Lille for £52 million. Additionally, they completed a double deal with Bayern Munich, bringing in defenders Matthijs de Ligt and Noussair Mazraoui for a combined fee of £50 million. On the final day of the window, United further strengthened their squad by signing Uruguayan midfielder Manuel Ugarte from PSG in a £42 million deal.
Despite these reinforcements, United currently sit 10th in the Premier League after four matches. They recently claimed a 3-0 away victory over Southampton, followed by a dominant 7-0 win against League One side Barnsley in the League Cup. This was United’s largest win under Ten Hag, although Barnsley’s manager was visibly frustrated with his team’s performance.
Looking ahead, United will aim for back-to-back Premier League wins when they face Crystal Palace at Selhurst Park on Saturday.
However, the club’s summer transfer window wasn’t without its disappointments. Their efforts to sign Xavi Simons fell short. The Netherlands international, who featured in Euro 2024 and scored in a 2-1 loss to England, had been on United’s radar. Originally joining PSG from Barcelona in 2022, Simons spent the 2022/23 season on loan at PSV Eindhoven before returning to PSG. He then moved to RB Leipzig last season and rejoined the Bundesliga club this summer.
Romano revealed that United had made inquiries about Simons’ availability prior to the Euros. However, the player preferred a return to Germany, leaving the possibility of a move to England in 2025. Although United missed out on him this time, there’s a chance the talented midfielder could still end up at Old Trafford in the future.
