Man United can officially qualify for the Champions League this Thursday when they host Chelsea, but Erik ten Hag is already negotiating with summer transfer targets
Manchester United are on the brink of Champions League qualification after Casemiro’s goal gave them a vital win at Bournemouth on Saturday.
And needing just one point from their last two games to seal a top-four finish, Erik ten Hag’s side can wrap things up on Thursday when they host struggling Chelsea at Old Trafford. But regardless of that result, the talk of a summer overhaul has already begun despite the takeover saga rumbling on in the background.
United have been linked with a host of strikers, most noticeably Harry Kane, but a new keeper and midfield reinforcements are also reportedly on Ten Hag’s wish list. Although, despite his future at the club remaining uncertain, David de Gea issued a timely reminder to his boss on Saturday, a clean sheet at the Vitality Stadium ensuring he wins the Golden Glove award for the 2022/23 season.
Read the latest from Old Trafford.
Martial told his time is up
United may have won at Bournemouth, but not all players left the South Coast satisfied.
Anthony Martial was handed a start against the Cherries after scoring in the previous game against Wolves. But he failed to impress, and the French forward lasted just 58 minutes before he was replaced by Wout Weghorst, looking on with disdain as he left the field.
And speaking to Lord Ping, ex-United hero Dwight Yorke has argued the writing was on the wall for Martial when he went on loan to Sevilla in January 2022: “Martial has been here for seven years now, he’s looked good in spells and was very promising,” said Yorke.
“But you can’t be going on loan at the age of 26 or 27, that’s for people who are 21 years old or younger. Once Martial went on loan, that should have indicated that his time is done at the club, like how it did when Jesse Lingard went on loan.”
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Ten Hag’s summer target ‘has a house’ lined up in Manchester
Manchester United are reportedly very close to clinching a deal for Napoli defender Kim Min-jae, with a house already lined up for the Serie A winner.
Il Mattino has reported that despite Napoli’s insistence on wanting him to stay at the club, negotiations are at an advanced stage. Indeed, a ‘villa’ has seemingly been identified for Min-Jae to live in, situated in the neighbourhood of Alderley Edge.
The South Korean player, 26, only joined Napoli last year. But he’s been pivotal in their historic title win, making 33 league appearances at centre-back.
United urged to act on Frenkie de Jong
It’s the saga that won’t go away, but United are still tracking Barcelona star Frenkie de Jong after the midfielder lifted the La Liga trophy on Saturday night.
And the former assistant to Sir Alex Ferguson at Old Trafford, Rene Meulensteen, doesn’t think the club should be deterred by their failed pursuit last season. Speaking to Manchester United’s official Scandinavian supporters’ club, the Dutch coach said: ‘”They need a really good midfield player.
“I would 100 per cent do everything to get De Jong. He’s got energy, he’s got legs, he’s tactically very, very good in the build-up.”
But he also dismissed the notion the former Ajax man is unhappy in Spain: “For De Jong, I think to be fairly honest, he would have already been here if he had not been happy at Barcelona,” added Meulensteen. “But he’s obviously very happy playing for Barcelona otherwise he would have said, ‘Okay, no problem, sort me out’ because there’s always a way to fill that financial gap. That can never be the reason. But I can see why Ten Hag is chasing him.”