Manchester United have agreed a £43million deal to sign Matthijs de Ligt from Bayern Munich, and Noussair Mazraoui will make exactly the same move if a spot in Erik ten Hag‘s squad is cleared by Aaron Wan-Bissaka joining West Ham.
But sporting director Dan Ashworth‘s summer transfer business may not be done there. United limped to a dismal eighth-place Premier League finish last season, and the extent of their injury problems highlighted a need for greater strength in depth.
Here, Express Sport takes you through three more players Ten Hag could welcome to Old Trafford, even if the De Ligt and Mazraoui moves go through…
Chido Obi-Martin
The 16-year-old’s move to United is yet to be formally signed off, although most of the important elements, including his medical, are already complete. The signing of Obi-Martin would signify a major coup for Ten Hag, as the teenager obliterated Arsenal‘s Under-18s scoring record last season.
Racking up a staggering 32 goals in 20 games, Obi-Martin devastated Gunners supporters by opting to run down his contract and pursue a new challenge outside of north London. That challenge is set to unfold in Manchester, pending the agreement of a compensation package with Arsenal. And although he may not be ready for Ten Hag’s senior side just yet, his arrival is certainly worth celebrating.
Central midfielder
United are a man light in the middle of the park after sending loanee Sofyan Amrabat back to Fiorentina. Ten Hag will be hoping for an upgrade on the Moroccan, who impressed in flashes but broadly underwhelmed.
The Red Devils are believed to be in talks with the representatives of Burnley midfielder Sander Berge and AS Monaco star Youssouf Fofana. Both players would be useful options for the manager to have at his disposal, although the club are seemingly intent on holding out for a good-value deal, having recently walked away from discussions over Paris Saint-Germain’s Manuel Ugarte over a significant gap in valuation.
Jarrad Branthwaite
The red carpet was rolled out for 18-year-old prodigy Leny Yoro when he completed a whopping £59m move from Lille earlier this summer. But the centre-back suffered an injury in pre-season which required surgery, and looks set to keep him out for the next three months.
That could trigger a reignition of interest in Everton’s Jarrad Branthwaite. United are big fans of the young defender, and reports indicate that they may go back in for him if the Toffees come down on their £70m valuation.
Another space would likely need to be cleared in Ten Hag’s ranked for the move to gain traction, with Victor Lindelof believed to be of interest to clubs in the Saudi Pro League.
Content Source: www.express.co.uk