Manchester United Transfer News Roundup: Red Devils pessimistic about Harry Kane move; club leading Adrien Rabiot race, and more - June 6, 2023

Manchester United finished third in the Premier League and are expected to continue their resurgence under Erik ten Hag. The Dutch manager is likely to target more reinforcements to the squad this summer.

Meanwhile, the Red Devils are pessimistic regarding a move for Tottenham Hotspur striker Harry Kane. Elsewhere, the Old Trafford outfit are the favourites to sign Juventus midfielder Adrien Rabiot.

On that note, here's a look at the key Manchester United transfer stories as on June 6, 2023:

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Manchester United pessimistic about Harry Kane move

Manchester United are no longer confident of securing the services of Harry Kane, according to transfer insider Ben Jacobs.

The English forward’s contract with Tottenham Hotspur runs out at the end of next season, but he's yet to sign a new deal. The Red Devils have identified the 29-year-old as the ideal candidate to lead their line next season.

The club are long-term admirers of Kane but are now worried that they could miss out on the player. In his column for Caught Offside, Jacobs said that Spurs might prefer to offload the Englishman to Real Madrid instead.

“As previously reported, it’s going to take £100m+ to stand a chance with Kane now. Manchester United have purposefully gone to the player side to see what is feasible and understand if Kane will help any transfer, should stumbling blocks be hit, by insisting on the move.

"Manchester United simply don’t want their time wasted, which is why they have moved early. There remains low optimism anything will be possible despite him being a top target,” said Jacobs.

He continued:

“Kane to Real might sit easier with Levy. And he has already sold both Gareth Bale and Luka Modric to Florentino Perez. Remember, Real are set to pay a big transfer fee for Jude Bellingham, so the prospect of adding Kane could present financial considerations.

"But it wouldn’t be a surprise if come the end of the window Kane is still a Spurs player as he looks to edge ever closer to Alan Shearer’s Premier League goal scoring record (260). This is important to him. Kane is currently on 213 goals after scoring 30 last season.”

Erik ten Hag also has Napoli hitman Victor Osimhen, Rasmus Hojlund of Atalanta and Stuttgart's Randal Kolo Muani on his wishlist this summer.

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Red Devils leading Adrien Rabiot race

Manchester United are leading the race to sign Adrien Rabiot, according to La Gazzetta dello Sport via Caught Offside.

The French midfielder is in the final month of his contract with Juventus this month and is expected to leave for free this summer. The Red Devils have had their eyes on the 28-year-old and want to sign him on a Bosman move this year.

Manchester United failed to secure the services of the Frenchman last summer but have retained an interest in the player. Rabiot has been in decent form for the Bianconeri this season, amassing 11 goals and six assists in 48 games across competitions. Old Trafford is fast emerging as his next destination.

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Manchester United scouting Eredivisie for talents

Journalist Dean Jones has said that Manchester United have returned to the Eredivisie to scout for more talents ahead of the summer.

The Red Devils roped in manager Erik ten Hag from Ajax last summer, and the Dutchman has proven to be a superb choice. Ten Hag signed Lisandro Martinez and Antony from the Eredivisie, and both players have hit the ground running at Old Trafford this summer.

Speaking to Give Me Sport, Jones said that Manchester United are planning to repeat the trick this season.

“We haven't been able to get an exact gauge on whether there's anything in Timber being at the game, but what we do know is that United have been looking at the Eredivisie again for more signings that they can make, because they fit what ten Hag wants,” said Jones.

He continued:

"Antony and Lisandro Martinez were signed because he knew what he was getting from them, and he knew that they could transfer their success and their skill set from the Netherlands to English football."

The Red Devils need further reinforcements to build a squad capable of competing in the UEFA Champions League next season.