Manchester United have reportedly reached out to sign a 29-year-old for free this summer.
Man Utd transfer plans under Ratcliffe
The Red Devils and new co-owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe appear to be planning behind the scenes ahead of the upcoming transfer window.
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However, Ratcliffe hinted last month that the club may not splash the cash straight away. When asked about the possibility of signing Jude Bellingham or Kylian Mbappe, he said: “He’s a great footballer [Bellingham] but it’s not where our focus is. The solution isn’t spending a lot of money on a couple of great players.
“They’ve done that, if you look at the last 10 years. The first thing we need to do is get the right people in the right boxes, managing and organising the club. We must make sure we get recruitment right, such a vital part of running a football club is getting recruitment right, finding new players.
“I’d rather find the next Mbappe, rather than spend a fortune to buy success. It’s not that clever to buy Mbappe, anybody could figure that one out.”
A plethora of lesser-known names have been linked with moves to Old Trafford, such as Barcelona teenager Mikayil Faye and Girona left-back Miguel Gutierrez.
Contact has been made for Palmeiras gem Thalys, and a fresh approach has also been made for a long-term Red Devils target who could join for nothing.
Another player who has been heavily linked with a move to Old Trafford is Juventus midfielder Adrien Rabiot. In fact, back in the summer of 2022, a £15m agreement was reached between the two clubs before a transfer eventually fell through.
Now, Rabiot moving to Manchester has once again been mentioned in recent weeks, and there has seemingly been a new development.
According to reports in Italy, relayed by Sport Witness, Man Utd have initiated contact via ‘polls’ over a free transfer for Rabiot this summer. Premier League rivals Newcastle United have done the same, with the Frenchman open to the idea of moving to England.
Rabiot, one labelled as a “monster” by football writer Robin Bairner, has gained plenty of experience at the highest level for club and country, scoring 50 goals in his career.
Rabiot’s career stats | Appearances | Goals | Assists |
|---|---|---|---|
Paris Saint-Germain | 227 | 24 | 14 |
Juventus | 204 | 21 | 15 |
Toulouse | 13 | 1 | 3 |
France | 43 | 4 | 3 |
He’s won numerous trophies in France and Italy as well as the Nations League with his country, so may feel this is the right time in his career to take on the Premier League.
Capable of playing as a defensive, central or left midfielder, Rabiot would offer plenty of versatility in Manchester, and by the looks of things, he may have a decision to make soon – Old Trafford or St James’ Park.
