Manchester United transfer news: Manchester United transfer news is always a busy industry in the summer months and this summer will see it at full volume as new manager Erik ten Hag looks to expedite the Red Devils' return to table relevance.
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The ex-Ajax and PEC Zwolle boss has put emphasis on United returning to the UEFA Champions League as soon as possible, and its beleaguered unit is going to need a lot of upgrades to move from sixth to the top four after finishing 13 points behind Tottenham last season.
There will be no consulting Ralf Rangnick, at least not anymore, and perhaps that's a good thing after United's interim manager got very little achieved and arguably saw his team quit on its season goals with weeks left in the season. Rangnick is now managing the Austrian national team.
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Below we roundup the latest done deals, reports and rumors and give our analysis on Manchester United transfer news as Joe Prince-Wright (JPW), Nicholas Mendola (NM) and Andy Edwards (AE) will guide you through a hectic next few months.
In
None (yet)
Out
Paul Pogba (end of contract)
Nemanja Matic - Roma (free transfer)
Juan Mata (end of contract)
Edinson Cavani (end of contract)
Jesse Lingard (end of contract)
Lee Grant (end of contract)
Dean Henderson - Nottingham Forest (Loan)
Our partners in the UK at Sky Sports have confirmed that Cristiano Ronaldo, 37, did not arrive at Manchester United's Carrington training ground for the first day of preseason. Ronaldo is still in Portugal and has yet to return to Manchester and Sky say that United aren't sure whether or not Ronaldo will turn up for the preseason tour.
Where will he go? According to The Independent Ronaldo is willing to take a huge pay-cut just to get his move. A report from Spanish outlet AS also claims that Barcelona president Joan Laporta has been in talks with Ronaldo's agent Jorge Mendes about a sensational move for the Real Madrid legend. Surely not!? That craziness aside a move to Chelsea or Bayern Munich seems most likely for Ronaldo if he does get his wish to Manchester United. (JPW)
The first signing of the Erik ten Hag era will be Dutch left back Tyrell Malacia, as his deal edges ever closer. Malacia could soon be joined by Lisandro Martinez. According to our partners in the UK at Sky Sports, United and Ajax are said to be close to agreeing a transfer fee for the Argentine defender and that means they are ahead of Arsenal who also want to sign Martinez. Slowly but surely (the Ronaldo saga aside), the Erik ten Hag era is getting off and running and there was always going to be a flurry of activity before United head to Asia and Australia on their preseason tour. Next up: Frenkie de Jong, Christian Eriksen and possible Antony to really kick-start the new-look squad. (JPW)
Tyrell Malacia has now successfully completed second part of medical tests and signed his contract as new Man United player. ??? #MUFC
Manchester United are preparing the contracts for Christian Eriksen after his green light to three-year deal offer.
- Fabrizio Romano (@FabrizioRomano) July 4, 2022
Our partners in the UK at Sky Sports have confirmed that Cristiano Ronaldo, 37, has not arrived at Manchester United's Carrington training ground for the first day of preseason. Why? The reports say there are 'family reasons' why Ronaldo hasn't returned on time and that the club are happy with that reason and all is well. In reality, this slots in with Ronaldo reportedly asking to be sold this summer if an acceptable offer arrives. He has just one year left on his contract but the club are apparently unwilling to sell him and plan on him being around this season.
With United scheduled to fly to Asia and Australia for their preseason tour in the coming days, it is clear that Ronaldo is having serious doubts about the Erik ten Hag era and wants a move. Most of United's squad returned to training last week and other international players (aside from Ronaldo) arrived on Monday morning to being preseason. In the next few days we are about to find out if this saga will take another twist as reports suggest ETH will sit down with Ronaldo and try to work out any issues he has about the season ahead. (JPW)
Christian Eriksen has agreed to move to Manchester United in a big boost for new manager Erik ten Hag. According to David Ornstein from The Athletic, the Danish playmaker has agreed to a three-year contract at Old Trafford. The free agent, 30, will now undergo a medical before linking up with Erik ten Hag's side. Eriksen had been wanted by Tottenham, Brentford (where he spent the second half of last season on a short-term deal) and many others, but he's picked United who seem him as being key to ushering in Erik ten Hag's possession-based style. The fact Eriksen came through the ranks at Ajax will no doubt be helpful in totally understanding ETH's methods and ushering in a new era at United.
Is this a good move for all involved? United will get a quality player who has real class on set pieces and can dictate the tempo of the game. Eriksen could play in a slightly deeper role to slot into the starting lineup alongside Frenkie de Jong and Bruno Fernandes but that would still be a pretty attack-minded midfield trio. Anyway, wherever he plays Eriksen will deliver goals and assists and this is a savvy signing by United as they aren't paying a transfer fee. For Eriksen, he will get to playing regularly at one of the top clubs in the world as this is what his talent deserves. After his incredible comeback from a cardiac arrest in the summer of 2021, he oozed class at Brentford over the final months of the 2021-22 season. (JPW)
Cristiano Ronaldo has reportedly asked to leave Manchester United if they receive a suitable offer for him this summer. Ronaldo, 37, has been linked with moves to several top teams in recent weeks as doubts persisted over whether or not he would fit into the system of new Manchester United manager Erik ten Hag.
It appears those doubts could spell the end for Ronaldo's second spell at Manchester United. A report from The Times states that Ronaldo wants to leave United this summer as the report says he wants to return to play in the UEFA Champions League and challenge for trophies. Napoli, Chelsea, Bayern Munich and Roma have been linked with a move for Ronaldo in recent weeks.
After this initial report came out, our partners in the UK at Sky Sports state that Manchester United do not want to sell Ronaldo and have no interest in letting him leave this summer.
The legendary striker scored 24 goals in all competitions for Manchester United in their dire 2021-2022 season but despite his heroics in front of goal, many questioned if his playing style and personality had an overall negative impact on the Red Devils. Even if he doesn't slot into Erik ten Hag's long-term plans, replacing his goals will be a huge issue and United's new manager may already have a big problem to solve. (JPW)
A report from Dutch outlet De Telegraaf states that Manchester United are trying to pip Arsenal to the signing of Argentine defender Lisandro Martinez. United have reportedly made a $47 million bid for the 24-year-old (who can play center back or left back) and are pushing Arsenal all the way to try and sign the Ajax star. Martinez of course worked with United's new manager, Erik ten Hag, at Ajax and proved himself to be one of their most important players in recent seasons.
His ability to be aggressive defensively but also have poise on the ball is exactly what ETH is looking for. With United chasing Frenkie de Jong and Antony, plus giving Donny van de Beek a second chance at the club, the Ajax vibes will be strong at Old Trafford this season. Do United really need a left-sided defender, though? Luke Shaw and Alex Telles are their current left back options, while Harry Maguire is the left-sided center back. Does this push for Martinez tell us one, or more, of those players is leaving this summer? (JPW)
Premier League new boys Nottingham Forest have picked up a top quality goalkeeper on loan for the season. Dean Henderson, 25, has joined Forest from Manchester United in a straight loan deal. Henderson previously excelled while on loan at Sheffield United but he hasn't been able to claim the starting spot ahead of David de Gea since returning to Old Trafford. Henderson had plenty of interest and he will use this move to Forest to try and earn a spot in Gareth Southgate's 2022 World Cup squad as he will play week in, week out in the Premier League. Steve Cooper and Forest are making some impressive moves this summer as they aim to cement themselves as a top-flight club. (JPW)
We are delighted to announce the loan signing of Manchester United and England goalkeeper Dean Henderson. ??
???? #NFFC | #PL
- Nottingham Forest FC (@NFFC) July 2, 2022
Argentine star Paulo Dybala left Juventus this summer, and he's most often been linked with Inter Milan.
But a pro-Inter site notes that the player's agent has also been sounded out by Arsenal and Manchester United, with Atletico Madrid also looking into Dybala's status.
Inter may not have the money to sign Dybala to a deal of his liking after taking Romelu Lukaku's massive contract on loan.
Dybala is out-of-contract this summer and turns 29 in the Fall. He finished his Juve career with 115 goals and 48 assists across all competitions, including 20 and six in 39 appearances last season. (NM)
According to a report from Fabricio Romano, Manchester United have bid $15.8 million (plus add-ons) for 22-year-old Dutch international Tyrell Malacia. Reportedly, Lyon were close to completing a transfer for Malacia ($12.6 million, plus add-ons), but Man United's late involvement could spoil that deal and see Erik ten Hag land his first signing. (AE)
Manchester United fresh proposal to Feyenoord for Tyrell Malacia: ?15m guaranteed fee plus add-ons now discussed. ?????? #MUFC
Talks in progress to hijack OL deal, as they had verbal agreement for ?12m plus ?3m add-ons. Waiting for player side too. pic.twitter.com/sdttcxwiNJ
- Fabrizio Romano (@FabrizioRomano) June 28, 2022
Victor Osimhen has been a double-digit goal scorer in three leagues and could be bidding to make it four next season if he makes a move to the Premier League.
Newcastle United is ready to tempt Napoli's resolve with a "significant sum," according to Gazzetta dello Sport, and Osimhen was previously connected to Liverpool, Spurs, and Arsenal when he left Lille for Naples.
The 23-year-old has a contract through the 2024-25 season and the club's price reportedly starts at over $115 million. (NM)
Okay, we all kind of expected Ronaldo to end up in MLS one day but apparently that day isn't right now. According to The Daily Star, the Manchester United and Portugal superstar is wanted by Inter Miami CF and co-owner David Beckham reached out about a potential move to his club. Per the report, the 37-year-old is committed to Manchester United and the Red Devils don't want to sell him.
However, is all this talk of Ronaldo being linked with Roma, Chelsea, Bayern Munich, Sporting Lisbon and now Inter Miami hinting towards an exit from Manchester United this summer? He does have just one year left on his current contract at United and is said to be frustrated with the lack of new arrivals under new manager Erik ten Hag. Again, not great vibes around Ronaldo right now. That said, the report states that ETH could hand Ronaldo the captaincy and wants him to lead a new era at Old Trafford. We have no doubt that Ronaldo will end up in MLS one day, and probably in Miami, but right now it seems like he will remain in Manchester.
Also, one other Manchester United-related piece of gossip to bring you: Harry Maguire is reportedly wanted by Barcelona as the Catalan club asked about his availability as part of a potential deal for Frenkie de Jong. According to The Sun, United rejected the notion of Maguire being included in a deal for De Jong. Even if he had a tough season in 2021-22 (look, we're being kind) if the Maguire of the last five years suddenly reappears this summer then United have a top-class center back. Per the report, Maguire is happy to stay at United at this stage of his career as the 29-year-old is ready to get back to his best. Being wanted by Barcelona will probably give his confidence levels a boost and there's no way he, and most of United's players, can play as badly as they did last season. (JPW)
Our partners in the UK at Sky Sports say that Manchester United are still hopeful of signing both Frenkie de Jong and Christian Eriksen. After a report from Goal stated that United and Barcelona have moved closer to agreeing a transfer fee for De Jong which would be in the region of $84.6 million, it is believed that United are confident the deal will get done for the silky central midfielder. This all now hinges on Frenkie de Jong, who hasn't seemed too interested in a move to United so far this summer. The Dutch midfielder was a star at Ajax under Erik ten Hag but with United out of the UEFA Champions League and Barcelona just turning things around over the last six months, it seems like De Jong needs some convincing that Old Trafford is the right place for him to take his game to the next level.
As for Eriksen, well, the offer to him remains on the table as our partners at Sky say the 30-year-old has two main options: Manchester United and Brentford. The free agent spent the second half of last season at Brentford on a short-term deal as he helped the Bees to a strong finish and the pull of staying in London and being the key man in a team on the up in the Premier League is appealing. As for United, well, they are apparently confident that Eriksen will choose to sign for them. The Danish playmaker would compete with Bruno Fernandes for the starting spot in the No. 10 role and that may not appeal to him at this stage of his career. With United reporting back for preseason this week, the clock is ticking to make their first signing of the Erik ten Hag era. (JPW)
Yes, this is actually a real thing. And yes, Manchester United have denied it could happen. However, there is clearly a bit of a theme rumbling behind-the-scenes here. In the past week there have been reports suggesting Ronaldo is unhappy with the lack of new signings at United, plus there have been reports linking him with a move to Roma, his former club Sporting Lisbon and now Chelsea are said to be interested in signing the Portuguese superstar. According to The Athletic, new Chelsea chairman Todd Boehly discussed the availability of Ronaldo, 37, when he met with 'super-agent' Jorge Mendes.
Per the report, Ronaldo was discussed and Chelsea are interested in seeing whether or not he can be temped to west London. Given that he only has one year left on his contract and they'd be strengthening a direct top four rival, United would surely rather keep Ronaldo than sell him to Chelsea this summer. United have since briefed plenty of outlets, including our partners in the UK at Sky Sports, that Ronaldo is not for sale and will not leave this summer.
But would having an unhappy Ronaldo around be a huge problem for Erik ten Hag? Probably. His love for United is undoubted but it is easier to see why he's so frustrated. Many believe he will not fit into the tactics deployed by ETH but the Dutch coach is said to believe he can. Let's see how this goes but it seems like Ronaldo's future is unexpectedly going to be the topic of much discussion this summer. (JPW)
It has been a quiet summer so far at Manchester United but things are starting to heat up. Portuguese outlet O Jogo have reported that United have had a bid of $67 million rejected for Brazilian striker Evanilson. The 22-year-old forward scored 21 goals for Porto last season and it appears that a new forward is a priority for Erik ten Hag as he aims to ease the burden on Cristiano Ronaldo (who could move on). He has also reportedly told United that he wants both Frenkie de Jong and Christian Eriksen to build his midfield around and the Dutch coach is clearly going to shift the playing style to a possession-based system.
With that in mind, Ajax star Antony is also a target for United and a report from The Sun says he will be the first signing of the Erik ten Hag era. Antony, 22, will reportedly cost $49 million and the report says that United officials are in Amsterdam to try and seal the deal. Antony excelled under Erik ten Hag last season and was the hub of Ajax's attack and brings creativity, goals and tenacity as he keeps hold of the ball and has incredible vision.
Our partners in the UK at Sky Sports also believe that United are trying to sign Lisandro Martinez from Ajax too, as the Argentine center back/left back has also been interesting Arsenal. Playing out of the back is key for United's new coach and Martinez is comfortable on the ball and in multiple positions. Ten Hag heading back to Ajax to pick up some top quality players makes perfect sense and United certainly need fresh ideas and talents in defense, midfield and attack. Bringing in players who already know his tactics inside-out is very smart and should help the Dutch coach hit the ground running this season. (JPW)
It is believed that Christian Eriksen is a key target for new United boss Erik ten Hag and the wait to see where the Danish playmaker signs is almost over. According to Fabrizio Romano the 30-year-old will soon decide where he will sign, as the free agent has offers from United, Tottenham Hotspur and Brentford to weigh up in the Premier League. Countless other clubs are interested in signing the mercurial attacking midfielder who dazzled on a short-term deal at Brentford in the second half of last season after his miraculous comeback from suffering a cardiac arrest in the summer of 2021. Eriksen has said he is keen to play in the Champions League but it's not a deal break and if any other manager aside from Antonio Conte was in charge at Tottenham, you would surely see him head back to Spurs. But he never really fit in with Conte's style of play at Inter Milan and the fact Erik ten Hag plays possession-based football with free-flowing, interchanging midfielders would really suit Eriksen well. (JPW)
Christian Eriksen will make a decision on his future club soon. Manchester United have confirmed their interest to his agent, while Brentford are still in the race. ???? #transfers
Tottenham, now focused on right back, centre back and then striker after three signings completed.
- Fabrizio Romano (@FabrizioRomano) June 20, 2022
Louis van Gaal is basically the lumberjack in this situation. According to a report via our partners at Sky Sports, Ajax defender Jurrien Timber has been advised against signing for Manchester United by LVG and the deal is now off. The 21-year-old was reportedly a top target for new United boss Erik ten Hag this summer but Louis van Gaal, the current Netherlands boss, has apparently told him not to move to Old Trafford as it would impact his game time with the Dutch national team. Is this LVG getting some revenge on United? Probably not. It's more about knowing the player and his strengths and weaknesses and maybe advising against a move to England, for now. We've heard a lot of reasons for why deals break down but this is quite a unique one. (JPW)
Cristiano Ronaldo has been linked with a move away from Manchester United this summer, as according to Italian outlet La Repubblica both Roma and Sporting Lisbon are reportedly interested in singing the Portuguese superstar. Ronaldo, 37, scored 24 goals in all competitions for United last season but there are plenty of question marks around whether or not he's in the plans of new manager Erik ten Hag. The report leans heavily on Ronaldo seeing he will not slot in well with ETH's playing style. Both Roma and Sporting know a deal will be difficult, financially, but Ronaldo has just one year left on his contract at Old Trafford and perhaps the Red Devils could be swayed to let him leave, if that's his wish, amicably and for a nominal transfer fee. (JPW)
It appears that Manchester United's offer to Christian Eriksen was not appealing enough. According to The Athletic, the Danish playmaker, 30, wants to remain in London. He has offers from Brentford and his former club Tottenham (among many others) and it is believed he wants to stay in England's capital city. Eriksen did superbly at Brentford last season as his short-term contract saw him return to the PL and back to fitness after the cardiac arrest he suffered in June 2021.
Eriksen has said he will take his time over deciding his next club but it appears that he won't be heading to Manchester United. A separate report from Guardian states that United are still interested in signing Frenkie de Jong from Barcelona and even though they are offering as much as $14 million lower than Barca's asking price for the Dutch midfielder, they are holding out as they know the Catalan club have severe financial problems. (JPW)
Paul Pogba all but confirmed he would be leaving Man United months ago, though his eventual destination remained a mystery until this week. According to reports, Pogba and Juventus have agreed terms, as he inches toward completing the second free transfer from Manchester United to Juventus in his career. Juventus won the Serie A title all four seasons he spent at Juventus, from 2012-2016, plus a pair of Coppa Italia triumphs as well. In six seasons (back) at Man United, Pogba won the Europa League and the League Cup once each. (AE)
For the third time in his career, Nemanja Matic has signed to play for Jose Mourinho, this time at Roma, after leaving Manchester United on a free transfer. The 33-year-old signed a one-year contract and will presumably slot straight into defensive midfield for 36 of 38 games next season. (AE)
A report from The Sun states that Manchester United are keen on signing Robert Lewandowski, if his dream move to Barcelona doesn't work out. Lewandowski, 33, has spoken publicly about his desire to leave Bayern Munich this summer as he has one year left on his current contract with the German giants. However, Barcelona have yet to agree a fee with Bayern and given the financial restrictions on the Spanish giants it appears it may take some time for them to offload players and sort out their finances to bring Lewandowski in.
With that in mind, United are lurking in the background as they aim to give the Polish superstar an alternative. Per the report, United are absolutely fine with paying Lewandowski $500,000 per week and the transfer fee to Bayern will be no issue.
Is this the kind of player Erik ten Hag and United really need as they try and rebuild?
There's no doubt Lewandowski will score over 20 goals a season (at least) but United have brought in the likes of Edinson Cavani and Cristiano Ronaldo in recent years and have failed to get the best out of both of them. Ronaldo had success last season but can he and Lewandowski start up top and be successful in the kind of possession based, free-flowing and flexible team Erik ten Hag wants to create? If United sign Lewandowski then it seems like just another short-term flashy signing they hope will wow people rather than actually creating a team which can compete. That's not disrespecting Lewandowski, who is a phenomenal player, but the fact that United seem to be seriously linked with another signing like this shows that they still don't really know what they are or what they want to become. (JPW)
According to Fabrizio Romano, Manchester United have had a bid turned down by Barcelona for Frenkie de Jong. The Dutch midfielder has said he's happy to stay at Barca but the Spanish giants need to cut costs to bring in new players this summer and it seems like Frenkie de Jong is their most valuable asset. This is going to be the saga of the summer.
Manchester United have made an opening proposal for Frenkie de Jong after talks started June 1. ?60m plus ?10m add-ons. ?????? #MUFC
Barcelona have turned down this opening bid - but clubs remain in contact.
De Jong has never indicated his desire to anyone. He's still waiting. pic.twitter.com/UlW7NurAAi
- Fabrizio Romano (@FabrizioRomano) June 10, 2022
Manchester United have confirmed that Edinson Cavani, Lee Grant, Jesse Lingard, Juan Mata, Nemanja Matic and Paul Pogba have all left as their contracts have expired. Three academy products will leave as D'Mani Mellor, Reece Devine and Connor Stanley are all now out of contract. Paul McShane will continue his coaching role after retiring from playing, while young goalkeeper Paul Woolston was forced to retire in March through injury but United say 'he continues to stay in close contact with the club as he begins the next stage of his career.'
You can already hear the United fans saying 'those are the departures. where are the incomings?' Rome wasn't build in a day, folks.
There have not been a ton of Liverpool to Manchester United transfers over the years, but Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain is reportedly "desperate" to leave Anfield and the Red Devils have interest In the player.
That is if Liverpool would consider a smaller fee for the 28-year-old, who came up with Southampton before moving to Arsenal. He scored three times with three assists in just over 1500 minutes for Liverpool.
"The Ox" barely saw any minutes once the calendar turned to 2022 and United is going to need help in the midfield. Could a $15 million purchase be a savvy bit of relatively low-risk, high-reward stuff from United? (NM)
PSV Eindhoven midfielder Ibrahim Sangare has been linked with Manchester United and Chelsea in reports that say the combative midfielder plans to be in the Premier League next season.
Sangare, 24, has a $44 million release clause and three years left on his PSV contract, having moved from then-Ligue 2 side Toulouse at the start of 2020-21 season.
He registered the third-most tackles in Eredivisie last season with 95 and the third-most interceptions with 74, chipping in three goals while passing the ball at nearly 87 percent. (NM)
As expected, Paul Pogba will leave United on a free transfer (for the second time) this summer. Pogba, 29, signed for United from Juventus in 2016 for a then world-record $112 million fee. However, after winning the League Cup and Europa League titles in his first season back at Old Trafford, Pogba failed to help United land any more silverware and only showed glimpses of his brilliance. The French international midfielder wasn't helped by injuries and Jose Mourinho, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer and then Ralf Rangnick being put in charge as United couldn't put together a successful team around him. Despite all of that his second spell at United will ultimately go down as a failure.
United confirmed his departure and said the following: "Everyone at the club would like to congratulate Paul on his successful career, and thank him for his contributions to Manchester United. We wish him all the best for the next steps on a remarkable journey."
Pogba has been linked with a move to Real Madrid, Juventus and PSG as a free agent and recent reports suggests a return to Juve is very likely for the World Cup winner. (JPW)
It is being reported by Fabrizio Romano that United are in talks with Barcelona over a potential $91 million move for Frenkie de Jong. The Dutch midfielder, 25, wants to stay at Barcelona and wants to play in the Champions League but his former boss at Ajax, Erik ten Hag, is now in charge at United. De Jong would be United's main man in midfield and with Barca having to cut costs if they want to bring in the likes of Robert Lewandowski this summer, it looks like Frenkie de Jong could be one of the assets they won't want to sell but they have to. (JPW)
Erik ten Hag has been linked with a number of his former Ajax charges, and young center back Jurrien Timber is discussing his future in the face of rumored Man United interest. The 20-year-old Timber is a world-class passer out of the back and is exceptional with the ball at his feet in possession, working his way into promising positions on the pitch. He also a brave shot blocker who is aggressive in pressuring the ball.
"In the end, my gut feeling will be the deciding factor," Timber said, via Metro. "The picture has to be right. You can go to a big club. But if you're not going to play there, it's better to stay with Ajax. And Ajax is also a big club."
Timber ranks 13th in the Eredivisie when it comes to tackles, settling in at 18th in interceptions. Those numbers are impressive considering how often Ajax held the ball: an eye-popping 62 percent of the time. (NM)
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Manchester United transfer news, live! Latest reports, rumors, updates originally appeared on NBCSports.com