Three major signings Man United could still make before deadline day – including £70m midfield star
The players Manchester United could still buy before the end of the summer transfer window.
Manchester United have had a strange summer, and a significant outlay on their attack has yet to bear fruit – indeed, despite the arrivals of Bryan Mbeumo, Benjamin Šeško and Matheus Cunha, early-season results have been poor. That suggests that United aren’t yet done in the transfer market.
They certainly seem to be in the market for a new midfielder, but as it stands attempts to buy Carlos Baleba seem likely to fail due to a price tag that will surpass £100m – that may see the Red Devils move in a different direction instead, while a new goalkeeper seems to be well on the way.
The transfers that United do make may also depend heavily on their success in selling unwanted players such as Antony, Alejandro Garnacho and Jadon Sancho, and the failure to move them on already means that there is plenty of uncertainty as to how the final days of the summer transfer window will pan out.
With so much business to do before deadline day, we’ve compiled a list of the players who currently seem most likely to make the move to Old Trafford by the close of play on Monday.
Senne Lammens
By the time you read this, this transfer may already have been completed – Manchester United are widely reported to be on the brink of securing a €20m (£17m) deal for 23-year-old Belgian goalkeeper Senne Lammens after his stunning debut season for Royal Antwerp.
The 6’4” Lammens was only made first choice at his Pro League side last summer but was hugely impressive from the start, posting a save percentage in excess of 80% and saving several penalties, as well as earning his first call-up to the Belgian national squad.
Still, Lammens has only 67 senior appearances to his name and none at the highest level of the sport, making this an intriguing gamble by Manchester United. It’s not yet clear whether he will replace the error-prone André Onana immediately or be used as a back-up to start the season, but this is a transfer that seems almost certain to take place before long.
Morten Hjulmand
The closer we get to deadline day, the less likely a deal for Baleba gets – and the more likely it becomes that United turn elsewhere to fix up United’s struggling midfield. Rumours have suggested at least a dozen potential targets, many of them deeply implausible, but a move for Hjulmand could be the one which gets over the line.
Ruben Amorim has worked with the Denmark international at Sporting already and knows that the 26-year-old suits his system, and the biggest issue is likely to be his asking price – the Portuguese club supposedly value the ball-winning midfielder at around €80m (£70m). United may balk at that fee, and negotiations won’t be straightforward.
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But Hjulmand is a more feasible transfer target than, say, Adam Wharton or Eduardo Camavinga, well-connected reporters have quashed stories linking United with Angelo Stiller, and perhaps the only other player whose name has come up who could actually move without a towering price tag is Barcelona’s Fermín López, who is also wanted by other clubs. There’s plenty of uncertainty here, but the smart money may be on Hjulmand. Or, perhaps, nobody at all…
Yusuf Akçiçek
While United aren’t expected to make any major moves in defence, one young star firmly on their radar is Fenerbahçe centre-back Akçiçek, a 19-year-old talent who has been linked with a move this summer after breaking into the Turkish national team.
José Mourinho – the former United manager who was Akçiçek’s coach prior to his sacking on Friday – has compared the teenager to Raphaël Varane and United appear to be leading a race which also allegedly includes Bayern Munich, Tottenham Hotspur and Aston Villa.
Other suitors could pip United to the post but they are especially keen to sign a gifted player who would offer immediate depth at the back, likely without breaking the bank too much.
As mentioned above, however, so much is dependent on whether United can shift the players they want to sell for decent prices – most of the club’s transfer budget has already been spent and they need to ensure that they have replenished their funds and taken wages off the books before making more big moves. As such, deals for the likes of Hjulmand and Akçiçek are likely to be taken down to the wire on Monday evening.