Manchester United made significant moves over the weekend as they ramped up their preparations for the upcoming Premier League season. The club finalized deals with Bayern Munich to acquire defenders Matthijs de Ligt and Noussair Mazraoui for a total of £51.5 million.
This development came just before United faced their archrivals, Manchester City, in the Community Shield at Wembley.
In the match, United took the lead with a late goal from Alejandro Garnacho, but Manchester City’s Bernardo Silva quickly equalized. The game eventually went to a penalty shootout, where misses from Jadon Sancho and Jonny Evans resulted in United losing the chance to secure another trophy.
On Sunday, Aaron Wan-Bissaka was seen heading to London as he prepares for his £15 million transfer to West Ham. His departure is part of a broader reshuffling at Old Trafford, with Mazraoui expected to fill his role. Wan-Bissaka, who is in the final year of his contract, began his medical examination with West Ham on Monday.
Simultaneously, at Manchester United’s training ground in Carrington, medical assessments were conducted for both de Ligt and Mazraoui, who had flown in from Germany earlier that day. Their arrival marks a significant boost to United’s defensive lineup.
In addition to these transfers, Manchester United has reportedly rekindled their interest in Barcelona midfielder Frenkie de Jong.
After failing to secure his signature in 2022 despite extensive efforts, United has now submitted a €50 million (£42.9 million) bid for the Dutch international. However, Barcelona, facing financial difficulties, rejected this offer, although they remain open to selling the 27-year-old midfielder.
Meanwhile, speculation about Casemiro’s future at United continues. Despite a dip in form last season, the Brazilian midfielder appears likely to remain at the club for a third season, despite interest from Saudi Arabian clubs.
With two years left on his contract, which pays £350,000 per week, it seems that no Saudi club is willing to pursue him seriously at this time. If Casemiro were to leave, United would need to find a replacement to maintain their midfield strength.
Leave a Reply