Manchester United are set for a transfer battle with bitter rivals Liverpool as they look to bag an £85m star for Michael Carrick and eye a long-term target desperately needed at Old Trafford
Manchester United are on the hunt for new recruits with the Premier League season looming for Michael Carrick.
The Red Devils have signed Andrey Santos, Youri Tielemans and Karl Darlow for their first team squad so far this summer, following the departures of Casemiro, Rasmus Hojlund, Andre Onana and Altay Bayindir. But United’s 4-2 dismantling by AC Milan in their final pre-season game on Saturday further highlighted deficiencies and the need for more signings.
Carrick himself has pleaded with Sir Jim Ratcliffe’s penny-pinching hierarchy for greater investment in the playing squad – ahead of a challenging return to Champions League – saying in an interview last week “we need to keep pushing for more”. Here’s all the latest news from Old Trafford.
JOIN US ON FB! Get all the best sports news and much more on our Facebook page
£85m transfer update
United are monitoring Crystal Palace’s Adam Wharton closely and maintain strong interest in the 22-year-old midfielder.
Despite having already secured Santos and Tielemans from Chelsea and Aston Villa respectively for a combined fee of £85m, Carrick is said to have pinpointed the England international as a fresh option for his engine room, reports the Mirror.
Wharton carries a price tag of approximately £85m according to his club and has emerged as one of the Premier League’s most coveted assets. He is also reportedly a target for Liverpool, who according to Football 365 have “made direct calls” to Palace to discuss the signing.
Nevertheless, Palace hold a commanding position over the midfielder’s destiny, with his current deal running through to 2029.
Former United legend Paul Scholes is convinced his old club should pursue Wharton, branding him the “perfect” recruit for Carrick’s squad.
He told The Good, The Bad and The Football podcast: “I can’t believe they’re not trying to buy Adam Wharton. Sandro Tonali would have been my first-choice but with him gone now [to Tottenham] Adam Wharton looks perfect to me.”
Long-term target on United wishlist
Reports from Germany suggest Carrick has added Bayern Munich’s Kim Min-jae to his ‘transfer list’ ahead of the summer window closing.
The Metro indicates United are receptive to bringing in a new defender due to persistent injury problems with Leny Yoro and Lisandro Martinez, as well as Harry Maguire’s advancing years.
The report asserts the Red Devils have held a long-standing interest in the South Korea international and are once again eager to secure his services.
Kim was strongly linked with Chelsea earlier this year before they snapped up Maxence Lacroix from Crystal Palace for £52m.
The 29-year-old was considered one of the best defenders in the world when helping Napoli win a Serie A title in the 2022–23 season.
He then moved to Bayern Munich for £43m, making the star with 82 caps for his country the most expensive Asian player of all time.
He has made 116 appearances for German giants, scoring five times, and has won the Bundesliga twice.