Man Utd transfer news: Club want to sign Sean Longstaff but Matthijs de Ligt and Tanguy Ndombele unlikely
The Newcastle midfielder pledged his future to the club this week but United remain bullish about their chances of signing the 21-year-old this summer
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Your support makes all the difference.Manchester United have already completed one signing this transfer window, but it promises to be a busy summer at Old Trafford as Ole Gunnar Solskjær sets about overhauling his squad.
United’s manager is eager to put his own stamp on United’s squad and is looking to make multiple new signings this window.
A number of players have been linked to United, with the club seemingly set to spend big.
Their transfer kitty could be further boosted by the sale of first-team players, with the likes of Romelu Lukaku and Paul Pogba reportedly close to the exit door.
Here, we round-up Friday’s transfer news and rumours.
Club closing in on Sean Longstaff
Manchester United are increasingly close they can complete the signing of Newcastle midfielder Sean Longstaff this summer, according to the Mirror.
Longstaff appeared to pledge his future to Newcastle earlier this month, but United believe the club will be tempted to take the money if they offer a suitable fee.
The newspaper claims that United are willing to spend up to £25m on the 21-year-old, who only broke into Newcastle’s first-team this season.
The midfielder spent last season on loan at Blackpool and the season before that at Kilmarnock, but United feel he is the perfect player to build their new team around.
Romelu Lukaku speculation intensifies
Earlier this week, striker Romelu Lukaku appeared to suggest that he was on the verge of a Manchester United exit, amid interest from Inter Milan.
“I’ll speak with my club and my agent Federico Pastorello to make the best decision,” he said. “I am going to enjoy my holidays with my family now. I know what I’ll do, but won’t say it. We’ll see. Do I expect a busy summer? Yes.”
And the Belgium international has once again hinted at a move by lavishing praise on Inter Milan manager Antonio Conte.
“With the transfer of [Cristiano] Ronaldo, I think the Italian league is now coming back,” he told ESPN. “Antonio Conte going back to Inter Milan, which is really good because he is, to me, the best manager in the world.”
The latest on United’s defence
United are again prepared to go into a new season without a centre-back signing, if they cannot bring in Ajax's Mattijs de Ligt.
The club are interested in the 19-year-old and willing to agree a persuasive cash offer, but are said to have greatly fallen behind Paris Saint-Germain and Barcelona, and otherwise do not really have any targets in the position.
The issue was a huge flashpoint for previous manager Jose Mourinho, but executive vice-chairman Ed Woodward has remained consistent on it. He is only willing to purchase a top-class centre-half and, since United already have multiple options there - including Chris Smalling and Phil Jones, who both recently signed new contracts - the priorities are other positions.
It is aided by the fact Ole Gunnar Solskjaer is prepared to give Eric Bailly another opportunity to impose himself, while more chances are likely to be given to Axel Tuanzebe, who spent the 2018-19 season at Aston Villa, in an impressive loan spell.
Club fall behind in race for Tanguy Ndombele
Tottenham Hotspur have opened talks with Lyon over Lyon's Tanguy Ndombele, and rivals clubs chasing the 22-year-old feel the London club are favourites to sign him.
United and Juventus are similarly interested in the midfielder, but sources say they are aware Spurs are currently ahead of them. Mauricio Pochettino is eager to push through what would be a statement £60m-plus signing after reaching the Champions League final, and one that could be all the more important if Christian Eriksen leaves this summer. The Dane has one year left on his contract, with Real Madrid and Paris Saint-Germain interested.
There is a feeling that Pochettino will persuade the highly-rated Ndombele, but that could yet take some convincing. The midfielder would idealise a move to one of the two Spanish giants, but Madrid and Barcelona - as well as Manchester City - are only monitoring his situation at the moment.
Madrid are probably the likeliest of those three to make a move, but only - pointedly - as a cheaper option than either Paul Pogba or Eriksen.
Any deal would smash Spurs' transfer record, by at least £20m, after the £40m signing of Davinson Sanchez in 2017.
United are similarly looking to renovate their midfield, and interested in Ndombele, but feel Sporting Lisbon's Bruno Fernandes and Paris Saint-Germain's Adrien Rabiot may be more gettable options.
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