Contact me: Ratcliffe and Ashworth in talk to sign £12million versatile midfielder this summer at Man Utd
Manchester United have reportedly made contact with a new midfield target with his club prepared to sell.
Ratcliffe and Ashworth’s first summer at Man Utd
Sir Jim Ratcliffe and Dan Ashworth are into their first summer transfer window at Old Trafford as co-owner and sporting director, and it has been a productive one so far.
A number of players have departed the Red Devils, whereas deals for Joshua Zirkzee and Leny Yoro from Bologna and Lille respectively have been secured.
Man Utd summer departures
New club
Mason Greenwood
Marseille
€26m
Willy Kambwala
Villarreal
€10m
Alvaro Carreras
Benfica
€6m
Donny van de Beek
Girona
€500,000
Raphael Varane
Como
Free
Omari Forson
Monza
Free
Anthony Martial
Without club
Brandon Williams
Without club
Zirkzee and Yoro could be joined by further first-team additions before the deadline, whereas the club look set to bolster their academy ranks with the signing of teenage forward Chido Obi Martin after he departed Arsenal.
Senior targets include Bayern Munich duo Noussair Mazraoui and Matthijs de Ligt in deals that would strengthen Erik ten Hag’s right-back and centre-back ranks.
Meanwhile, a new midfielder is also wanted at Old Trafford before the end of the month, with Paris Saint-Germain’s Manuel Ugarte arguably the most heavily linked target in the middle of the pitch.
However, there were internal talks held over a move for Burnley’s Sander Berge, and it looks as if Ratcliffe and Ashworth have stepped up their interest in recent days, with an approach made to the target.
According to The Athletic, Man Utd, and by extension Ashworth, have now made contact with Berge’s camp, with the Burnley man a surprise option for the Red Devils.
It is claimed that Burnley are prepared to sell Berge after spending £12m on his services last year, with the Norway international standing at 6 foot 5.
Sander Berge for Burnley
Despite his tall frame, Berge is extremely quick and hit a top speed of 35.90km/h, the 10th fastest of all top-flight players last season. He made 40 appearances in all competitions under Vincent Kompany in 2023/24 but couldn’t help Burnley avoid the drop back to the Championship.
However, he did come in for praise from Kompany back in December, with the former Burnley boss saying: “Sander obviously had a year of Premier League experience already and he’s an international. He’s shown he can play at this level.
According to Manchester world, for the past decade, every summer transfer window has seen speculation about Manchester United signing a new right winger.
This summer, however, such discussions have largely faded. Despite interest in other forwards, United feels confident about their right-wing situation and believes they might have finally found a solution.
Amad Diallo has been the standout performer in pre-season and is set to start under Erik ten Hag. He is regarded by the manager as a crucial player for the future and someone around whom they can build a strong team.
Diallo was signed, along with Facundo Pellistri, following United’s unsuccessful pursuit of Jadon Sancho four years ago. Although he joined six months later, making him the first player signed under the post-Brexit rules, United eventually acquired Sancho a year later. Despite this, Diallo has advanced ahead of Sancho and Pellistri in the pecking order, with both potentially leaving before the transfer window closes.
“Having watched him myself, I believe he is one of the most exciting young prospects in the game,” said then-manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer after Diallo’s signing. “It will take time for him to adapt but his speed, vision, and fantastic dribbling ability will stand him in good stead to make the transition. He is a player with all of the raw attributes that are needed to be an important player for Manchester United in the years to come.”
Although Diallo was initially raw and made only three starts in his first three years at Old Trafford, a successful loan at Sunderland highlighted his potential. An injury last pre-season delayed his impact, but by the end of the campaign, he began to show glimpses of his talent. His performance included a remarkable winner against Liverpool in the FA Cup and impressive displays in pre-season. Despite this, Antony and Omari Forson were preferred over him last season until Diallo made his first United start in over two years in a loss to Arsenal in May.
The upcoming Community Shield match against Manchester City may seem like just another pre-season game, but for Diallo, it is a chance to prove he is the solution to United’s long-term right-wing issues. As he technically enters the final year of his contract, United is expected to activate a one-year extension and also plans to secure him with a new long-term deal.
Solskjaer predicted a bright future for Diallo, and for him, that future appears to be now.
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