The inevitable transfer market gossip mill is nothing new for Manchester United as fans, the media, and teams get ready for what is expected to be an exciting summer window that opens in mid-June.
The Red Devils, who finished eighth in the league, could miss out on European football for the first time since the 2014–15 season and just the second time since 1989–90 if they lose to the Premier League champions ahead of their FA Cup final on Saturday afternoon against rivals Manchester City.
With manager Erik ten Hag’s future a major doubt after the introduction of new minority owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe, it could be a busy few months for the club as they get adjusted to the new era coming to Old Trafford soon.
Here, MEN Sport takes a look at the latest United transfer news and offers a different perspective…
Koopmeiners ‘red alert’
Teun Koopmeiners, an Atalanta midfielder, has fueled the rumours this week by declining to say whether he would remain with the Serie A team in the face of rumours that he would be joining Manchester United. The 26-year-old has been one of the most impressive players in the Italian top division this season.
He was crucial to Gian Piero Gasperini’s team’s successful Europa League campaign and was instrumental in the 3-0 victory on Wednesday night that ended Bayer Leverkusen’s 51-game unbeaten streak.
When asked whether he’d be at Atalanta to play for them in the Champions League next season, Koopmeiners was hesitant to give a committal answer, instead muttering: “I am very happy at Atalanta and now I just want to think about winning this trophy, then we will see. Let’s see, let’s see.”
MEN Sport says: If there’s a player to go out and get which could help bolster Man United’s midfield for next season, Koopmeiners could be a real gem.
With the likes of Christian Eriksen and Casemiro or maybe even club captain Bruno Fernandes set to depart Old Trafford this summer, the box-to-box midfielder’s 22 goal contributions over this past season would make him a statement signing for new owner Jim Ratcliffe in his first summer of business.
Whoever is at the helm of the United dugout at the start of their new campaign, having Koopmeiners at their disposal would be a huge boost if they can settle him in, but they’ll face threats from rivals Liverpool, Chelsea and other European heavyweights if they want to tie him down to a long-term deal.
Chelsea hijack Araujo ‘deal’
In other news, Jim Ratcliffe is rumoured to have become “furious” after Chelsea, Man United’s Premier League opponents, managed to enter the fight for Ronald Araujo, the center-back for Barcelona, one of his top transfer targets of the summer. The 25-year-old, who has made 37 appearances for the La Liga powerhouses this season, is rumoured to have received a “major offer” from the Blues.
The amount that Todd Boehly’s team has offered is unknown, although prior rumours have stated that Barca has placed an £85 million price tag on the defender—a cost that would be prohibitive for both teams given concerns about FFP.
According to TEAMTalk, the defender is happy in Spain despite Barcelona trying to show him the door, leaving a strange situation that both Premier League clubs could look to take advantage of.
MEN Sport says: Despite Man United’s clear need for more depth at the centre-back position, I’m not entirely sure Araujo would be the best signing for them.
While he’s a good player that’s entering the prime of his career and showing form in a good league, I don’t think coughing up a huge fee like that would be good business from United. Yes, the football transfer market has entered a Looney Tunes state of money exchanges in recent years, but United have no room for mistakes.
They do have issues with depth at centre-back, there’s no doubt about that – injuries to Lisandro Martinez and Harry Maguire throughout the season has already proven they’re in dire straights defensively. However, they need to make smart business decisions, and splashing out £85m for one, unproven-in-England centre-back would be a big no-no in my book.
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