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Manchester United travel to St. James’ Park on Sunday (April 2) to lock horns with Newcastle United in the Premier League. The Red Devils are third in the league and will look for a win to bolster their chances of a top-four finish.
Meanwhile, Erik ten Hag has sanctioned a £100 million offer for a striker this summer. Elsewhere, Leicester City are interested in Harry Maguire. On that note, here's a look at the key Manchester United transfer stories as on April 2, 2023.
Erik ten Hag sanctions Manchester United's £100 million offer for Goncalo Ramos
Erik ten Hag has given his thumbs up to Manchester United’s pursuit of Goncalo Ramos this summer, according to AS via The Express.
The deal is likely to cost around £100 million and will also depend on the outcome of the ongoing change of ownership at Old Trafford. Ten Hag is eager to bring in a new No. 9 this summer to address a gaping hole in attack, and Ramos is among his targets.
The Portuguese has been in devastating form for Benfica this season, scoring 24 goals and setting up ten in 36 games across competitions. The 21-year-old also caught the eye at the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar, so the Red Devils are eager to secure his signature this summer.
Benfica are likely to demand a colossal fee for their prized asset, but Manchester United also face competition from Real Madrid for his signature.
Leicester City want Harry Maguire
Leicester City are ready to take Harry Maguire back to the King Power Stadium on loan this summer, according to The Sun.
The English defender left the Foxes in 2019 to join Manchester United for a premium. The 30-year-old has divided opinion since his arrival at Old Trafford and now finds himself struggling for game time under Ten Hag. He has registered just 24 appearances for the Red Devils this season across competitions.
The Dutch manager has made multiple changes to the squad since taking charge and has put trust on Raphael Varane and Lisandro Martinez ahead of Maguire. The Englishman’s situation is unlikely to change anytime soon, so a move away from the club looks like a real possibility this summer.
Manchester United are willing to let him go for a suitable fee, but Leicester only want the player on loan. Brendon Rodgers’ team have struggled this season due to a leaky defence, and the Scottish manager believes Maguire’s return could help shore up his backline.
Wayne Rooney compares Marcus Rashford with Harry Kane
Manchester United legend Wayne Rooney has outlined a similarity between Marcus Rashford and Harry Kane.
The Red Devils forward has been in the form of his life for the club this season, amassing 27 goals and nine assists in 44 games across competitions. Kane, meanwhile, has consistently been among the best strikers in the league.
In his column for The Times, Rooney was full of praise for his compatriot:
“You can see he is enjoying his football and is more positive in his running. He penetrates with his runs off the ball and commits defenders when he’s on the ball - doing everything I wrote about wanting to see from him,” wrote Rooney.
He added:
"He has always been a good finisher, but in front of goal, you can see the improvement that comes from confidence. He is taking his chances now without a second’s thought whereas before he was overthinking and taking that extra second, then not being as decisive with his finish as he should be.”
Rooney pointed out the similarities between Rashford and Kane, especially in the way they struck the ball.
"He reminds me of Harry Kane in how he puts the ball in the net. You almost never see Harry score a goal where he caresses it into the corner - every finish is hit hard and goes in with pace. Marcus is quite similar. When he gets in front of goal he puts his foot through it," wrote Rooney.
He continued:
"What he and Harry do is actually a much harder skill than, say, stroking it home like Thierry Henry used to do. It’s harder because just like when you hit a golf shot, and the harder you swing the less accurate you tend to be, you risk things going wrong. However when you develop the ability to get those finishes on target repeatedly, you become very hard to stop - like Harry throughout his career and Marcus recently."
Rashford has 120 goals and 66 assists in 347 games for Manchester United since rising through the ranks at the club.
