All posts by z3u9t.icu

Back in the summer of 2021, Manchester United thought they had landed themselves one of the deals of the transfer window, re-signing Cristiano Ronaldo 12 years after he left for Real Madrid.

The Portuguese international looked set for a move to join Manchester City, before the Red Devils hijacked that deal and secured a fairytale return to Old Trafford.

He would feature 54 times in his second stint, scoring 27 times, before a major bust-up with Erik ten Hag would see him depart for his current side, Al Nassr, in November 2022.

However, despite his off-the-field issues, it was a huge move that boosted the club’s finances and brought added excitement around the ground – especially after finishing second in the Premier League the season prior to his arrival.

Fast-forward to the present day, a similar move could well be completed, with Ruben Amorim’s side looking to pounce and take advantage of a potential transfer this summer.

The latest on United’s hunt for new additions this summer

Dušan Vlahović is a player who could be a cheap option for United and director of football Jason Wilcox this summer, with current side, Juventus, potentially offloading him for just £15m during the off-season.

The Red Devils have been in constant talks with the Italian outfit over a move for the Serbian international, potentially seeing Jadon Sancho moving in the opposite direction.

However, attention may have been turned to another target, with Sporting CP talisman Viktor Gyokeres appearing on their radar once again, according to A Bola’s latest update.

Whilst the Swede has looked certain to move to Arsenal this window, the report claims a deal has stalled in recent days with the Gunners reluctant to meet Sporting’s valuation of the player.

As a result, the Red Devils are on red alert and are looking to pounce on the situation, potentially handing the forward a lifeline as he seeks an escape route out of Lisbon.

It also states that the Portuguese outfit are holding out for a fee in the region of £70m, including add-ons, to sell the 27-year-old during the current transfer window.

Why United’s latest target would be the biggest deal since Ronaldo

Since Ronaldo’s second spell at United, the hierarchy have splashed the cash to try and land players who could thrive at the club within the final third.

Rasmus Hojlund is just one player who’s tried to fill the void in recent seasons, but the Dane has fallen way below the expectations of a signing who cost £72m.

The 22-year-old has only registered 26 goals in his first two full seasons at Old Trafford, leading to rumours around his own long-term future at the club under Amorim.

Joshua Zirkzee is another striker who’s failed to impress, notching just seven goals last season, after joining from Italian side Bologna nearly 12 months ago.

However, when comparing the pair’s respective stats to those of Gyokeres from the 2024/25 campaign, the Swede has massively blown them out the water – highlighting why he’d be the best signing since Ronaldo in such a department.

Gyokeres, who’s been labelled “phenomenal” by commentator Ian Darke, massively outscored the pair and posted a better goal per shot on target rate – showcasing the clinical edge he possesses in the final third.

He also managed to complete more take-ons that he attempted, along with more carries into the opposition’s box per 90, having the ability to create an opportunity for himself out of nothing.

Games played

33

32

32

Goals & assists

46

4

4

Shot on target accuracy

52%

40%

39%

Goals per shot on target

0.4

0.3

0.2

Progressive carries

4.3

1.2

0.9

Key passes made

1.9

0.7

0.7

Take-on succeess

46%

27%

31%

Carries into opposition box

3.1

0.7

0.2

Aerials won

50%

24%

28%

The Swede’s creativity is also demonstrated by his tally of 1.9 key passes per 90, along with 50% aerials won – handing Amorim’s side that focal point to play off, something they’ve massively been lacking in recent months.

It’s unclear as to how much of an opportunity they have to hijack the move for the forward, but it’s hugely evident that he would be the best option at the manager’s disposal.

If he could replicate the levels produced by Ronaldo at Old Trafford, it would be a phenomenal piece of business and one that could catapult them up the table next campaign.

Having beaten off Man City to secure the huge coup of sealing Ronaldo’s homecoming, managing to get ahead of the Gunners in the race for Gyokeres would be a similar seismic, statement deal for Wilcox and the new regime.

Amorim's new Gyokeres: Man Utd close in on deal to sign "phenomenal" star

Manchester United have moved closer to completing a deal for a big-money star.

2 ByEthan Lamb Jul 10, 2025

It’s been a jam-packed summer for Chelsea so far this year.

On top of making it through to the knockout rounds of the Club World Cup, the Blues have already been very active in the transfer window.

Enzo Maresca’s side have bought in a number of young talents to bolster the squad ahead of their return to the Champions League next season, with perhaps the most exciting so far being Liam Delap.

However, in exciting news, the club appear close to securing the services of another young star who could be an even bigger talent than the former Ipswich Town star.

Chelsea target young talents

So far this summer, Chelsea seem to be continuing their habit of targeting young, up-and-coming talents, with names like Nico Williams and Alejandro Garnacho linked with them over the last few weeks.

Transfer Focus

Mega money deals, controversial moves and big-name flops. This is the home of transfer news and opinion across Football FanCast.

However, with the former now looking set to join Barcelona and the latter not exactly the most popular candidate, thanks to how things appear to have ended at Manchester United, the Blues have also looked at a host of other youngsters.

Fortunately, the West Londoners now appear to be closing in on one of those prospects, someone who’s arguably a bigger talent than Delap: Jamie Gittens.

Yes, according to a recent report from transfers expert Fabrizio Romano, Chelsea are still pursuing the Borussia Dortmund star.

In fact, the Italian journalist has revealed that an “agreement is getting closer” as the two sides continue their talks over the player in the US.

A price is not mentioned in the update, but according to other reports from this week, it looks increasingly likely that the Englishman will cost around £55m.

It might be a lot of money for a 20-year-old, but based on his ability and potential, it could be worth it, especially as he might be a bigger talent than Delap.

How Gittens compares to Delap

So, the first thing to say is that both youngsters look destined for brilliant careers at the very top of the game, but if we had to come down on who we think is just about the bigger talent, it would be Gittens, and there are a few reasons why.

The first is that, while the former Ipswich Town gem was honing his skills in the Championship last season, the Dortmund prospect was making a name for himself in the Bundesliga and even made seven appearances in the Champions League, despite being just 19 years old.

Moreover, this season, when both players were competing in one of Europe’s top five leagues alongside other competitions, the 20-year-old prospect was, in fact, more effective for the German outfit than the 22-year-old was for the Tractor Boys.

For example, the “explosive” Reading-born winger, as dubbed by talent scout Jacek Kulig, scored 12 goals and provided five assists in 49 appearances, totalling 2,803 minutes, which comes out to an average of a goal or assist every 164.88 minutes.

In contrast, the Winchester-born poacher scored 12 goals and provided two assists in 40 appearances, totalling 2,670 minutes, for the Suffolk side this year, which comes out to a goal involvement every 190.71 minutes.

Finally, when we examine their underlying numbers, it becomes impossible to ignore just how much better the talented winger fares than his potential new teammate.

For example, not only does he do better in the most critical attacking metrics, like non-penalty goals plus assists and key passes, but also tackles, blocks and interceptions, so he can be trusted to contribute to the dirty work while also impacting play at the sharp end of the pitch.

Non-Penalty G+As

0.56

0.42

Progressive Passes

2.13

1.04

Progressive Carries

5.74

2.12

Shots

2.64

2.29

Shots on Target

1.22

1.01

Expected Assists

0.21

0.05

Passing Accuracy

76.5%

61.3%

Key Passes

1.07

0.73

Passes into the Penalty Area

1.22

0.21

Crosses into the Penalty Area

0.20

0.00

Shot-Creating Actions

3.70

2.15

Goal-Creating Actions

0.51

0.24

Tackles

1.57

0.38

Tackles Won

0.96

0.28

Blocks

0.81

0.28

Interceptions

0.51

0.07

Clearances

0.20

0.97

Successful Take-Ons

3.91

1.39

Carries into the Final Third

2.84

1.60

Carries into the Penalty Area

3.20

1.04

Ultimately, both Delap and Gittens will be excellent players for Chelsea, but as things stand, the latter appears to be a more promising talent than the 22-year-old striker.

Alongside Gittens: Chelsea ready bid for £51m "legend" who's Caicedo 2.0

Chelsea – as ever – are likely to spend big this summer on new additions…

ByRobbie Walls Jun 26, 2025

Leeds United now face Burnley in a transfer battle to sign a Premier League level defender on a free transfer this summer, according to a new report.

Leeds eyeing more transfers after Nmecha deal

The Whites confirmed their first signing of the summer transfer window on Sunday afternoon, as Lukas Nmecha agreed to join Leeds once his contract at Wolfsburg expires at the end of the month.

The attacking midfielder is a player who is likely to be an important figure in Farke’s team this season, but the club are not resting with just his arrival, as they are already working on more additions.

As reported by Africa Foot, Leeds have made contact with Manchester City over signing Juma Bah on a loan deal. The 19-year-old joined the Blues back in January but spent the rest of the campaign on loan at RC Lens. He now looks set for another temporary move away, with Leeds and Southampton fighting for his signature.

He'd be better than Bijol: £5m defender now wants to sign for Leeds

Leeds United could seal a better transfer than snapping up Jaka Bijol by landing this deal.

ByKelan Sarson Jun 15, 2025

Meanwhile, defender Jaka Bijol has agreed terms over a move to Elland Road this summer and a deal appears to be nearing completion. He is not the only defender on the club’s radar, as a report from Football Insider states that Alex Moreno is also interested in a move to Leeds this summer. The 32-year-old could be available for £5 million, as the Whites are in the market for a new left-back.

Leeds face Burnley in Keane battle

The list of potential new defenders to sign doesn’t stop there, as according to the Liverpool Echo, Leeds are among the teams interested in signing Michael Keane from Everton.

Keane, who has been at Goodison Park since July 2017, is out of contract at the end of this month, and while he remains in talks over a new contract, he is looking more likely to leave. That has alerted Leeds, who, along with Burnley and Sheffield United, are keen on swooping in and securing the defender on a free transfer.

The 32-year-old, who has been dubbed “immense” in the past by Harry Redknapp, has fallen down the pecking order at Everton in recent seasons. Keane went from playing 32 games in the Premier League during the 2021/22 season to playing just 12, 9 and 14 times in the last 3 campaigns.

Apps

230

Goals

16

Assists

10

Keane could be a viable option for the Whites to provide more depth behind Joe Rodon and Pascal Struijk, and there aren’t many free signings on the market who provide such a wealth of top flight experience.

During Ange Postecoglou’s troubled tenure at Tottenham Hotspur, it would be fair to say he got a lot right but plenty of things wrong as well.

On the pitch, for example, he led the team to their worst Premier League finish of all time, but then also won them their first trophy in 17 years.

It was the same in the transfer market, with the likes of Micky van de Ven, Brennan Johnson, and Lucas Bergvall all proving to be great buys, while the likes of Radu Dragusin and most certainly Timo Werner being quite the opposite.

Therefore, fans should be worried about reports linking the team to a player who could be Thomas Frank’s own version of the German next season.

Tottenham transfer news

Before we get to the bad news, it’s worth looking at some of the more exciting links to the likes of Bryan Mbeumo and Hayden Hackney.

Transfer Focus

Mega money deals, controversial moves and big-name flops. This is the home of transfer news and opinion across Football FanCast.

The former is reportedly available for a fee of around £60m, and while that is undoubtedly a lot of money, his incredible tally of 20 goals and nine assists in 42 games this season suggests he’d be more than worth it.

Likewise, while £20m might sound like a lot for a Championship midfielder, it could just end up being a bargain, as plenty of top-flight teams are also after Hackney’s signature this summer.

However, as we said, it’s not all positive, as the North Londoners have now found themselves linked with someone who has flopped for two teams in the Premier League: Jadon Sancho.

Yes, according to a recent report from The Sun, Spurs are, in fact, keen on signing the Manchester United dud.

Alongside his former side Borussia Dortmund, the report claims that the North Londoners, Aston Villa and Newcastle United are ‘battling to sign’ the Englishman this summer for a fee of around £25m.

While the 25-year-old was able to show glimpses of quality this season, that is still a battle Tottenham should endeavour to lose, as there is a significant chance he could just be another Werner.

Why Sancho would be another Werner

So, it might sound harsh, but if Spurs were to sign Sancho this summer, then it would be very easy to describe his move as Werner-esque, and there are a few reasons why.

Firstly, not only would the North Londoners be signing a previously highly-rated player turned flop, but they would be doing so after he failed to reach a good enough level at London rivals Chelsea.

In fact, it’s worse than that, as in his final underwhelming campaign with the West Londoners, the German scored 11 goals and provided six assists in 37 appearances before returning to RB Leipzig.

Appearances

37

41

Minutes

2217′

2419′

Goals

11

5

Assists

6

10

Goal Involvements per Match

0.45

0.36

Minutes per Goal Involvement

130.41′

161.26′

In comparison, the former Dortmund gem was only able to manage five goals and ten assists in 45 games for the Blues, which should be setting off alarm bells in the heads of Levy and Co.

Moreover, when you take into account minutes played, the United dud was only slightly more productive at Stamford Bridge than the Stuttgart-born ace was in N17.

For example, the 29-year-old averaged a goal involvement every 185.1 minutes while in North London and the 23-capped “special” Englishman, as dubbed by Enzo Maresca, averaged one every 161.26 minutes during his stint in the capital.

Ultimately, while there is likely a talented player in Sancho, we have not seen it on a consistent basis since his time in Germany, and with Frank coming in to improve the first team, handing him a player who could just be the new Werner feels like a massive mistake.

Therefore, Spurs should go nowhere near the inconsistent winger this summer, and instead focus their energy on signing more promising options.

Alongside Son: Frank must axe £165k-per-week Spurs "monster"

It would be best for Spurs to cash in and help Frank kickstart his time at the club.

3 ByJack Salveson Holmes Jun 13, 2025

Nottingham Forest have Europa Conference League football to look forward to next term and are now progressing in their attempts to bring a highly-rated forward to the City Ground.

Nottingham Forest transfer targets as they prepare for Europe

It wasn’t to be for Nottingham Forest in their pursuit of Champions League football, though a place in Europe’s third-tier continental tournament could offer a realistic prospect of silverware next season.

West Ham United and Chelsea’s previous exploits in the Europa Conference League will offer Nuno Espirito Santo all the encouragement he needs, but the Portuguese boss knows signings will be necessary to balance their trophy bid with domestic endeavours.

According to reports, Nottingham Forest are interested in a permanent deal for Liverpool defender Jarell Quansah, though there could also be a possibility of a loan agreement in the eyes of former scout Mick Brown.

Manchester City’s Matheus Nunes is a surprise target for the Tricky Trees, lending credence to the notion that they will go all out this summer following an impressive Premier League campaign.

Intriguingly, Espirito Santo stopped short of confirming he would be in charge next term after his side missed out on Champions League qualification, stating: “We are in good place and now it’s time to reflect and focus on the future. This is not a moment to speak about me. It’s about the club.”

Nottingham Forest make contact with ex-PSG ace as Marinakis eyes £20m move

They’re already thinking about the summer transfer window.

ByTom Cunningham May 22, 2025

Either way, there is plenty to be positive about on reflection. Nottingham Forest have shown they are a force that can compete with the best after conducting a mass overhaul across the last couple of years in the East Midlands.

Sparing no expense, the Tricky Trees are now advancing in their pursuit to sign a talented forward who has likened himself to Real Madrid star Vinicius Jr.

Nottingham Forest in advanced Igor Jesus talks after £18.5m offer

Per Fogao Net, Nottingham Forest have made an offer to sign Botafogo forward Igor Jesus for £18.5 million and talks are now believed to have progressed to an advanced stage.

Negotiations between all parties are moving along nicely, leaving the final decision down to the Brazil international, who has previously pointed out similarities between himself and countryman Vinicius Jr.

Igor Jesus statistics in 2025 – Serie A (Fotmob)

Shots

33

Shots on target

13

Completed dribbles

5

Dribble success

62.5%

Chances created

14

Duels won

62

Enjoying a bright start to the year, Jesus has netted seven goals and laid on a solitary assist in 23 appearances across all competitions for Brazil’s reigning top-flight champions.

Chris Wood has been a talismanic figure at the City Ground of late, though his age may work against him moving forward and securing an alternative option would make sense to bolster squad depth.

Now, it remains to be seen if Nottingham Forest can push a deal over the line as they look to build on an impressive campaign by keeping pace with contenders for European football in 2025/26.

Arsenal sporting director Andrea Berta will personally try to convince Mikel Arteta to green-light a move for one PSG star, who he tried and failed to sign during his 12-year stay at Atletico Madrid.

Andrea Berta kick-starting Arsenal transfer plans for this summer

One of Berta’s first acts, following his confirmed appointment in late March, was to reach out to the representatives of Athletic Bilbao winger Nico Williams, according to The Guardian’s Ed Aarons, and he’s shown little sign of slowing down since then.

£42m Chelsea target now privately imagining a transfer to Arsenal instead

The Gunners are emerging as favourites.

ByEmilio Galantini May 6, 2025

The Italian’s reputation as an astute operator in the transfer market has excited plenty of on-lookers ahead of his debut window at Arsenal, and it is believed the 53-year-old could spearhead a £300 million spend on as many as seven major signings (GiveMeSport).

Liverpool (away)

May 11th

Newcastle United (home)

May 18th

Southampton (away)

May 25th

According to Sky Germany’s Florian Plettenberg, Berta is also pushing to sign Sporting Cp striker Viktor Gyokeres, in a bid to end Arsenal’s long wait for a prolific centre-forward who can guarantee 25-plus goals-per-season for Arteta.

Arsenal are also in the market for wide players and potentially an alternative to star forward Bukayo Saka, with the England international’s spells out through injury at points this season giving Arteta a major headache.

Bayern Munich winger Leroy Sané is still a target for Arsenal in that regard, as the ex-Man City star is yet to pen fresh terms at the Allianz Arena, and his contract is due to expire this summer as things stand.

Sane switched agents at the last minute during negotiations over a new deal at Bayern, as confirmed by club president Herbert Hainer, which has now thrown a spanner in the works.

However, if the Germany international does end up officially putting pen to paper, Arsenal will need to move on to other targets.

Andrea Berta wants Lee Kang-in at Arsenal

According to a report from The Sun and journalist Simon Barlow, versatile £119,000-per-week PSG forward Lee Kang-in is attracting attention from Arsenal, and Berta specifically.

As per their information, Berta will push Arteta to approve an Arsenal swoop for Lee, coming after the 53-year-old attempted to sign him for Atletico during his time with the La Liga side.

Berta was apparently the driving force behind Atletico’s pursuit of the South Korea international when he was at Mallorca, only for him to choose a move to the Parc des Princes instead.

Lee has featured in a variety of attacking roles under Luis Enrique this term, predominantly on the right-wing, but also on the left, as an attacking midfielder, a centre-forward and even back in defence. This could be highly attractive from Arteta’s perspective, as he’s known to seriously value versatility in any new player.

PSG are also eager to sell the 24-year-old, as per this report, so a deal could be completed in quick fashion.

Tottenham Hotspur are facing a summer of major change, both in the dugout and in terms of first-team players, with uncertainty surrounding Ange Postecoglou and Spurs anticipating a ‘sell to buy’ transfer window.

Tottenham preparing for season-defining Europa League semi-final

Amid a very regrettable domestic campaign, where the Lilywhites have suffered an inexcusable 19 Premier League defeats, the success of their season rests entirely on the Europa League.

24-year-old confirms decision to leave Tottenham after talks with Spurs

They’ve reached an agreement to mutually part ways.

2 ByEmilio Galantini Apr 29, 2025

After dramatically knocking out Eintracht Frankfurt in the quarter-finals, Spurs face this year’s fairytale underdogs, Bodo/Glimt, in a two-legged semi-final which many are expecting them to win.

West Ham (away)

May 3rd

Crystal Palace (home)

May 10th

Aston Villa (away)

May 18th

Brighton (home)

May 25th

However, even if Tottenham get past the Norwegian minnows and go on to win their first major trophy since 2008, there is still the very real possibility that Postecoglou and Spurs part company – two years after they appointed the Australian to replace Antonio Conte.

The Telegraph reported last week that Postecoglou is heading towards the Tottenham axe, regardless of their success in Europe, and winning the competition could be the most honorable way for him to part ways and end his N17 stay on a high.

Tottenham are already being linked with a host of different managers, from big names to lesser-known quantities, and Postecoglou could be joined out of the exit door by some big-name first-team players.

Matt Law reported recently that Spurs may need to sell players and generate funds for their transfer activity, with right-back Pedro Porro and striker Richarlison among the men tipped to potentially leave. A more regularly mentioned nominee for the transfer list is star defender Cristian Romero.

The Argentine is attracting serious interest from Atlético Madrid ahead of the summer, and it is believed chairman Daniel Levy is growing more open to the possibility of cashing in on him (GiveMeSport).

There are even suggestions that Atlético head coach, Diego Simeone, is personally driving their interest in the £165,000-per-week defender.

Now, another update has emerged courtesy of Spanish news outlet Marca.

Cristian Romero has already told Tottenham he wants to go

The outlet reports that Romero informed Tottenham of his desire to leave in March, and Atlético have been working on a deal for the ex-Atalanta centre-back for as long as five months.

However, they’re postponing formal negotiations for after the Lilywhites’ Europa League campaign, where they may have a better understanding of what it will take to strike a deal for Romero.

While Atlético only wish to bid around £34 million for his signature, as things stand, Spurs are demanding much more for a player who’s been described as “world-class” during his time at the club.

Injuries have largely hindered the 27-year-old’s season, which has been the case for a lot of Tottenham players, but Romero has certainly showcased his serious quality alongside Micky van de Ven in Postecoglou’s high line, especially last season.

Arsenal have made contact with a potentially low-cost striker option who’s scored north of 170 career goals, with new sporting director Andrea Berta registering serious intent already ahead of his first summer at the club.

Andrea Berta's rumoured striker targets for Arsenal

One of Berta’s key items on the agenda is signing a prolific new striker.

Arsenal make "ambitious" offer for £170k-p/w forward after Arteta request

The Spaniard’s personally asked for him.

ByEmilio Galantini Apr 19, 2025

Their need for a proven goalscorer was evident before Kai Havertz and Gabriel Jesus were sidelined with long-term injuries, but their absences have left it beyond all doubt, with Mikel Arteta even forced to use midfielder Mikel Merino as an emergency makeshift striker over the last few weeks.

Ipswich Town (away)

April 20th

Crystal Palace (home)

April 23rd

Bournemouth (home)

May 3rd

Liverpool (away)

May 11th

Newcastle United (home)

May 18th

Truth be told, the Spain international has done very well – scoring four in his last eight Premier League games and helping to bury Real Madrid in Europe – but Merino is hardly a long-term solution going forward.

Instead, Arsenal are developing a serious interest in Sporting CP star Viktor Gyokeres, who’s bagged a pretty incredible 47 goals in his last 46 matches across all competitions, not to mention a further 11 assists.

These numbers, combined with the intense competition for his services from Arsenal’s rivals, mean Sporting will demand a package of up to £60 million with additional add-ons to let him leave (Fabrizio Romano).

Berta is said to be a fan of Gyokeres, while it is reported elsewhere that Newcastle star Alexander Isak is a “dream” signing for Arsenal, with a move for the Swede looking far too difficult to pull off in terms of price.

RB Leipzig starlet Benjamin Sesko is another striker on Arsenal’s target list, despite their failed bid to sign the Slovenian in 2024 (Fabrizio Romano), and they internally discussed the possibility of striking a deal in January.

All these names will come at a premium, especially when factoring in the overall costs, including wages, commission fees and signing bonuses.

Arsenal make contact with Lille star Jonathan David

Bearing this in mind, journalist Graeme Bailey is reporting for The Boot Room that Arsenal are throwing their hat in the race for out-of-contract Lille star Jonathan David.

It is quite surprising that no elite side has taken the plunge with David yet, considering just how incredible he’s been for Lille over the last few seasons, but it is now a matter of time before he seals his big move.

The Canada international is set to leave on a Bosman this summer, and Arsenal held initial talks with David’s representatives in their pursuit of a striker.

The 25-year-old, who’s racked up a grand total of 176 career goals for club and country combined, is also a big-game player. David boasts seven strikes from his 10 Champions League outings this term, scoring against the likes of Real Madrid, Atlético Madrid, Juventus, Liverpool and Borussia Dortmund, so notions he can only score in an inferior division have been put to bed.

Despite being a free agent, he could still set Arsenal back around £28 million, including his yearly demands, signing-on fee and additional commission fees (Sacha Tavolieri), but this is still far cheaper than some of Berta’s other striker targets.

Manchester United are now set to make an approach for an “immense” defender, with Ruben Amorim believed to be a big fan, according to a report.

Man Utd pursuing defensive reinforcements

Amorim has made it clear that he will not compromise on his style of play, having implemented a three-at-the-back system ever since arriving from Sporting CP, which means the manager may need to recruit another centre-back in the summer transfer window.

Bayer Leverkusen’s Piero Hincapie is one of the names on the shortlist, with Man United looking to hijack Real Madrid’s move for the defender, while they have also sent scouts to watch Fiorentina’s Pietro Comuzzo in action.

Comuzzo is being targeted as a potential replacement for Lisandro Martínez, who may not be back until 2026, which underlines the need for a new centre-back to be brought in prior to the start of the 2025-26 campaign.

Man Utd make contact for "unbelievable" £62m star as agent flies for talks

The Red Devils have set their sights on a striker, whose agent is set to fly to England for talks.

ByDominic Lund Apr 8, 2025

According to a report from Football Transfers, not only is Amorim concerned by Martinez’s injury woes, but the manager also has doubts over whether the Argentine is suitable for his three-at-the-back system.

As such, the 40-year-old wants to bring in a new centre-back this summer, and he has demanded the signing of Sporting CP defender Goncalo Inacio.

Amorim knows Inacio well from their time working together in Portugal, and he remains a huge admirer, with Man United expected to make an approach of some description over the next few weeks, although there are yet to be any formal talks.

The Portuguese defender is protected by a €60m (£52m) release clause in his contract, but there are indications he could be available for as little as €35m (£30m), which would make him a relatively low-cost addition to the squad.

"Immense" Inacio impressing in Portugal

Sporting are once again challenging for the Liga Portugal title this season, and the 23-year-old has been one of their most important players, making 22 appearances, during which time he has picked up three goals and three assists.

Not only is the Portugal international a threat going forward, but he is also strong defensively and solid in possession of the ball, as showcased by his performance on some key metrics over the past year.

Statistic

Average per 90

Blocks

2.22 (99th percentile)

Tackles

2.04 (84th percentile)

Passes attempted

88.70 (97th percentile)

With Amorim having doubts over whether Martinez is capable of playing in a three-at-the-back system, it would make sense for the manager to bring in a player he can trust, and the “immense” Sporting star is showing signs he could be a success at Old Trafford.

The only doubt over the signing of Inacio will be the fact he is yet to prove himself in a major European league, unlike some of the other players on Man United’s shortlist, such as Hincapie and Everton’s Jarrad Branthwaite.

Manchester United are seemingly willing to sell an Old Trafford star who Ruben Amorim isn’t sure about, with Real Madrid keen on a potential deal this summer.

Man Utd suffer another defeat as INEOS eye summer signings

The Red Devils suffered yet another Premier League defeat following the international break, losing 1-0 to Champions League-chasing Nottingham Forest at the City Ground.

Amorim’s side had plenty of possession and more attempts than the hosts, but former winger Anthony Elanga was the matchwinner. The Man Utd boss even brought on Harry Maguire in an attacking role in the final stages, with the centre-back almost netting an equaliser.

Talking about that decision, Amorim said: “In the end of the game, when the opponent is just protecting the box, if you look at the defenders of Nottingham, they are really comfortable. And then with a line of six, not five, a line of six, we can reach the final third but then we have to put the ball inside the box because it’s hard to make the combinations to get inside the box to score goal.

“Harry Maguire, when he’s attacking in set-pieces, is maybe the best player we have in our team, so inside the box, you are not a defender, you are a striker. So it was that idea to put I one man who is really good in the air to score a goal.”

Man Utd now progressing in talks to sign £67m top target to replace Onana

A move appears to be advancing.

ByCharlie Smith Apr 2, 2025

A new attacker to rival Rasmus Hojlund appears to be on the to-do list this summer, especially as Man Utd regret signing Joshua Zirkzee and want him sold, as per recent reports.

Hugo Ekitike of Eintracht Frankfurt is a Red Devils fan and appears to be a target, however, players may need to be sold in order to fund their summer business.

Man Utd ready to sell Mainoo with Amorim unsure on fitness levels

One player who could be on the way out of Old Trafford is Kobbie Mainoo. Linked with a move to Chelsea during the January transfer window, the midfielder stayed put, however, he has missed the last nine games through injury.

Now, according to a report from Spain, Man Utd appear to be willing to sell Mainoo and have set an asking price of €50m (£41.7m), with his current contract set to expire in 2027.

Real Madrid see Mainoo as ‘a serious option to strengthen their midfield for the upcoming season’, whereas Chelsea and Inter Milan are also keen.

Selling Mainoo will help generate funds for summer signing ahead of Amorim’s first full season, and it has been claimed elsewhere that the Man Utd manager isn’t the midfielder’s biggest fan.

In fact, Amorim is ‘not completely convinced Mainoo has the fitness levels to be a success in his system’, and by the looks of things, the academy product could be on the way out of Old Trafford in a matter of months.