Erik ten Hag is urging Sir Jim Ratcliffe to sign a bargain midfield reinforcement for Manchester United this summer, with talks now reportedly underway over a potential deal.
Man Utd transfer news
Although those at Old Trafford are yet to welcome a single fresh face as of yet, the headlines have certainly been dominated with potential arrivals, from Jarrad Branthwaite to Manuel Ugarte. The Red Devils have reportedly already seen one bid rejected by Everton for Branthwaite this summer, with the Toffees seemingly holding out for their £80m price tag in a potential blow for United.
Meanwhile, Ugarte represents the type of upgrade that Ten Hag needs to replace Casemiro, whose Old Trafford future has been in doubt in recent months. The Brazilian midfielder endured a campaign to forget last time out with many questioning whether he’s still at the peak of his powers at the heart of Manchester United’s midfield. As Ten Hag’s side look to return to the Premier League’s top four next season too, it’s the type of questions they could do without.
With that said, Ugarte isn’t the only player being eyed in that regard. According to Rudy Galetti for TeamTalk, Ten Hag is now urging Sir Jim Ratcliffe to sign Adrien Rabiot this summer with Manchester United pushing hardest in the race to secure the Frenchman, who earns a reported £146k-a-week.
On his way out of Juventus as a free agent this summer as things stand, the Red Devils could land a bargain deal for Rabiot in pursuit of putting an end to last season’s frustrating midfield problems. They were, of course, linked with Rabiot last summer, but ultimately failed to complete a move, before seemingly going again a year later.
Currently at Euro 2024 with France, Rabiot’s future is certainly one to keep an eye on once the tournament comes to an end this summer.
“Important” Rabiot can replace Casemiro
What became clear at the end of last season was just how important Kobbie Mainoo will be for Ten Hag’s in years to come. The young midfielder emerged to hand United a bright spark in a season to forget, even scoring in their FA Cup final victory against rivals Manchester City, but they need to find the suitable and experienced partner that they hoped Casemiro could be.
| League stats 23/24 (via FBref) | Adrien Rabiot | Casemiro |
|---|---|---|
| Goals | 5 | 1 |
| Assists | 3 | 2 |
| Pass completion | 84.4% | 81.8% |
| Tackles and interceptions | 83 | 101 |
Adding a player with more attacking impetus and higher quality on the ball is exactly what’s required to take some of the pressure off the youngster’s shoulders when it comes to ball retention and progression, while still offering impressive defensive stability.
