Man Utd working towards outgoings-contingent £170m summer transfer budget
Manchester United are planning for a summer transfer budget worth up to £170m, a large part of which could be made up from sales, 90min understands.
Sir Jim Ratcliffe has completed his minority takeover of United and, after helping come up with a plan for the January transfer window, is now preparing for his first window in office.
Sources have confirmed to 90min that the INEOS chairman is keen to invest in the playing squad this summer and is currently planning for a budget worth between £150-170m, with close to £100m of that figure coming from player sales.
Players who are not part of Erik ten Hag’s plans, such as Jadon Sancho and Donny van de Beek, will be available for transfer, but there could also be significant movement in the manager’s current squad as well.
Antony, who joined for £86m from Ajax in 2022, is available after a bitterly disappointing spell at Old Trafford has seen him struggle to command minutes in recent weeks. Ratcliffe is prepared to make a loss on the Brazil winger but will still demand what sources describe as a ’significant‘ fee to agree to a sale.
There is currently no clear suitor for Antony, but there Saudi dealmakers are considering a move. An Ajax-return is not understood to be on the cards.
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United are expected to entertain interest from Saudi Arabia in a number of others players as well. Director of football John Murtough visited the Middle East during the Club World Cup with a view to building relationships with Saudi dealmakers.
Al Hilal are keen to strike a deal to sign midfielder Casemiro, who could be sold for the right price, while Al Ittihad and Al Nassr are working on moves for centre-back Raphael Varane.
With INEOS hopeful of reaching a full summer budget of £170m, plans are being drawn up to sign a new striker, centre-back and full-back, while a attacking midfielder is likely to be targeted, with Crystal Palace Michael Olise already approved by Ratcliffe.
For forwards, Bayern Munich striker Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting is no longer a target since he was only discussed as a short-term January addition. But United are considering RB Leipzig’s Benjamin Sesko, Bologna’s Joshua Zirkzee and Stuttgart’s Serhou Guirassy.
Rafael Leao and Victor Osimhen, of AC Milan and Napoli respectively, are both admired at Old Trafford but seen as unrealistic targets at this point.
Jean-Clair Todibo of Nice is a potential centre-back option but sources indicate Bayer Leverkusen’s Jonathan Tah is a potential target as well as United seek to bolster in defence. Bournemouth left-back Milos Kerkez has also been scouted.