Man Utd ‘name five targets’ as Sir Jim Ratcliffe funds huge summer transfer splurge | Football | Sport
Manchester United are reportedly plotting a transfer splurge as Sir Jim Ratcliffe prepares to make a splash once his £1.3billion deal for a 25 per cent stake in the club is complete. Ratcliffe’s impending investment is set to ease Financial Fair Play restrictions, opening the door for another busy summer at Old Trafford.
The 71-year-old expects the Premier League to pass his investment by early to mid-February, when he will officially inherit all football operations from the Glazer family.
Summer plans will then accelerate in the background while United look to finish a disastrous season so far strongly.
According to Standard Sport, the Red Devils could be in for a blockbuster summer transfer window as Ratcliffe eyes a statement start to his rule over the sporting side of the club.
It’s claimed that United have settled on another four transfer priorities this year after pinpointing Crystal Palace winger Michael Olise as a leading target.
The report claims a world-class striker in the mould of Harry Kane, a central midfielder, a centre-back, and a right-back are also on the agenda.
United bowed out of the race for Kane early last summer, splashing £72m to sign Rasmus Hojlund from Atalanta instead. The 20-year-old arrived as a player for the present but mainly the future.
The Old Trafford giants are now keen to recruit a player who can guarantee regular goals amid their toothless attacking record this term.
Napoli’s Victor Osimhen, Brentford’s Ivan Toney and Inter Milan’s Lautaro Martinez have previously been linked with a move to M16.
It’s said that Ten Hag is eyeing a box-to-box or more advanced player rather than a defensive midfielder despite the potential need to replace Casemiro.
And at centre-back, Everton’s Jarrad Branthwaite and OGC Nice’s Jean-Clair Todibo are among the options admired by United and other Premier League clubs.
Antonio Silva, Goncalo Inacio and Ousmane Diomande also reportedly fall into that category as part of a new generation of centre-halves.
United could be targeting a new right-back to replace Aaron Wan-Bissaka, who will enter the final 12 months of his contract this summer.
Other reports claim Ten Hag is ready to use the former Palace defender in a swap deal to lure Olise to Manchester, which would call for a successor to compete with Diogo Dalot.
Before the summer, United’s new sporting structure is likely to take shape, with a sporting director and head of recruitment expected to arrive alongside a new chief executive.
