Roland Cutinho
Manchester United’s plans of signing a new defender depend on the takeover saga as current owners throw a spanner in the works
According to the Telegraph (h/t the Manchester Evening News), Manchester United’s plans to sign fresh additions to their defence depend on the outcome of the lengthy takeover saga.
Man United are heading into a crucial transfer window as they aim to build a strong team that can compete for major titles. The Red Devils have already lost track of key transfer target Kim Min-jae. According to Calciomercato, the Napoli centre-back was a priority target for United a few weeks ago.
However, all of a sudden, they have let Bayern Munich move ahead in the race to sign the South Korean star. The 26-year-old had a £50 million release clause in his contract, which will be active until July 15.
Although United are still in the race to sign Min-jae, there has been no serious indication from the club. Meanwhile, as per transfer guru Fabrizio Romano, the Bundesliga Champions have already agreed personal terms with the Napoli star and are closing in on a deal to sign him in the upcoming days.
This comes as a big blow for United, as they have been losing key transfer targets quite easily due to their failure to take the first step. Even in this case, Min-jae’s agent openly revealed that there was no contact from United for his client.
This shows that the Red Devils are not thinking outside the box when it comes to securing transfer deals early. One possible reason for this could be the ongoing transfer saga, which is seriously affecting Erik ten Hag‘s plans.
The Glazers have a reputation for screwing up transfer plans and striking late in the transfer market. It is nothing different this time, even if Ten Hag desperately wants new signings this summer.
United had a decent transfer window last summer in which they brought in some quality players. However, the manager will not have a massive transfer war chest at his disposal this summer.
According to the Mirror, the Glazers will be providing limited funds to the Dutch boss, so the manager will be careful about spending unnecessarily on players. Signing Min-jae for anything under £50m could have been a bargain, provided he brings experience and stability at the back.
As per the Telegraph, Napoli will be working to provide him with a lucrative long-term contract if his move to Bayern fails to materialise. However, securing a deal for the Napoli centre-back seems to be off the charts for Man United at this moment, and they would be keeping tabs on other available targets in the market.
Monaco’s Axel Disasi and OGC Nice’s Jean Claire-Todibo are other potential options in United’s books. However, if they make it late, then there are chances that they might miss out again.
United’s takeover saga is far from being completed. Hence, the fans are unsure whether any new owner will have enough time in hand to be able to make signings before the transfer window shuts down.
Although there have been rumours that Qatar’s Sheikh Jassim could emerge victorious in the takeover battle, the Daily Express revealed that the fans would have to wait for three months to see a new owner at the helm.
The takeover battle for Man United is heating up at the moment as Sheikh Jassim and Sir Jim Ratcliffe continue to vie for control of the club.
Recently, as stated by Sky Sports, Sheikh Jassim’s Qatari group submitted a fifth and supposedly final proposal for United. The Glazer family and Raine, the financial advisors, are currently evaluating this offer.
On the other hand, INEOS, under the direction of Sir Jim Ratcliffe, is still confident that their alternative bid structure is strong enough to outpace their rivals and secure the deal in the coming weeks.
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It remains to be seen whether the club will be successful in acquiring its transfer targets amid the slow pace of the entire takeover saga.
