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Manchester United are preparing to face Real Sociedad at the Estadio Anoeta on Thursday (November 3) on matchday six of the UEFA Europa League. Erik ten Hag’s men will look to get revenge for their earlier defeat to the La Liga side in the tournament.
Meanwhile, former Red Devils striker Michael Owen has advised the club to replace Cristiano Ronaldo. Elsewhere, the Old Trafford outfit are locked in a battle with Manchester City for a RB Leipzig midfielder.
On that note, here's a look at the key Manchester United transfer stories as on November 1, 2022:
Michael Owen urges Manchester United to replace Cristiano Ronaldo
Michael Owen reckons Manchester United should lay down succession plans for Cristiano Ronaldo.
The Portuguese has not been in his element this campaign and has struggled for game time under Ten Hag. The 37-year-old was eager to seal a move away from Old Trafford this summer but failed to find suitors.
Speaking to Ace Odds, as cited by The Metro, Owen tipped Ronaldo to leave at the end of the season.
“Cristiano Ronaldo obviously isn’t getting any younger and is not going to be there for another four, five years. You never know, it might be his last season. So from that point of view, you do wonder where goals will come from. Marcus Rashford has always been a goalscorer but never been absolutely prolific,” said Owen.
He continued:
“(Anthony) Martial has had lots of chances over time. He’s never been really prolific and scored into the twenties, let’s say. So I think in terms of scoring goals, that’s where Manchester United will have to address it at some point.”
Owen added that his former side should attempt to bring in a young striker in the mould of Wayne Rooney.
“Defensive-wise, they’ve invested over the years. I think the full-backs are still a little bit of a question mark. They spent a lot of money on the likes of (Aaron) Wan-Bissaka and (Luke) Shaw, and they probably wouldn’t be in the team at the moment. But, I think when you’re Manchester United, you’re probably looking at the next Wayne Rooney, the next 18, 19, 20-year-old old,” said Owen.
He added:
“If you’re going to buy somebody they need to nail that position down for the next decade. But there’s nobody really out there at the moment that they’ve done that with. So they’ve had to bring players in like Casemiro, like Ronaldo, very much the here and now. But they might need to be replaced.”
Ronaldo has three goals from 14 games across competitions this season.
Red Devils battling Manchester City for Dani Olmo
Manchester United are ready to go head-to-head with bitter rivals Manchester City for the signature of Dani Olmo, according to Fichajes via Caught Offside.
The Spaniard has been a first-team regular with RB Leipzig since joining the Bundesliga side in 2020. His impressive rise has earned the player admirers around Europe.
The Red Devils are among his suitors as they look to add more creativity to their squad.
Olmo could be an asset to Ten Hag’s plans, with the player’s versatility a big bonus. However, the Dutch manager will have to ward off competition from the Cityzens and Barcelona to get his man. The 24-year-old has appeared ten times across competitions for Leipzig this season, scoring twice.
Manchester United in talks to sign Brahim Diaz
Manchester United have held talks with Brahim Diaz over a possible move, according to El Nacional via Caught Offside.
The Spanish midfielder is on loan at AC Milan from Real Madrid and has caught the eye of Ten Hag. The Dutch manager is working to mould his team to fit his tactics and believes Diaz would be a sensible addition.
The Red Devils have reportedly assured the player of a prominent role at Old Trafford if he agrees to a move.
The Spaniard has appeared 14 times for the Rossoneri this season, scoring four times. The 23-year-old would be an upgrade on the likes of Fred and Scott McTominay, but Real Madrid are likely to demand €55 million for his signature.
