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Manchester United finished sixth in the Premier League last season, ending the season without a trophy. New manager Erik ten Hag has been tasked with bringing the glory days back to Old Trafford. The Dutchman will look to use the summer to shape his squad.
Meanwhile, the Red Devils are engaged in advanced negotiations for a Barcelona midfielder. Elsewhere, former Leeds United striker Noel Whelan has backed the Premier League giants to sign an Inter Milan full-back.
On that note, here's a look at the key Manchester United transfer stories as on June 15, 2022:
Manchester United in advanced negotiations for Frenkie de Jong
Manchester United are locked in advanced negotiations with Barcelona for the signature of Frenkie de Jong, according to SPORT via Sport Witness.
The Dutch midfielder has been identified as a priority target for Ten Hag this summer. The Red Devils are looking to reinvigorate their squad, and De Jong has been identified as a vital cog in midfield.
The Premier League giants have already begun negotiations with the Blaugrana to facilitate a move this summer. Talks have now reached an advanced stage, but there’s disagreement regarding the valuation of the Dutchman. Barcelona want €100 million for De Jong, while United are only prepared to pay €80 million.
The Red Devils want to strike a deal with the Blaugrana before initiating talks with the player. Ten Hag has already been in touch with De Jong. The Premier League giants are confident that personal terms won’t be a problem, as they are offering the player an upgrade on his current deal.
Noel Whelan advises Red Devils to sign Dunzel Dumfries as Aaron Wan-Bissaka replacement
Noel Whelan has advised Manchester United to sign Denzel Dumfries as Aaron Wan-Bissaka’s replacement. The English full-back is likely to depart Old Trafford this summer after dropping down the pecking order last season.
Dumfries, meanwhile, has caught the eye with Inter Milan last season, notching up five goals and seven assists in nearly 50 games across competitions in 2021-22.
Speaking to Football Insider, Whelan said that the Dutchman would be an upgrade on Wan-Bissaka.
“Yeah, absolutely. He’s that attacking full-back that they desperately need. Defensively, Wan-Bissaka is very sound – he’s rarely beaten. Going forward, he just lacks that quality and that creativity,” said Whelan.
He added:
“You need that now as a full-back; it’s expected. You’re box-to-box. Not only are you a defender, you’re a midfielder and a winger as well at times. There aren’t enough assists and certainly not enough goals in his game. He very rarely gets involved in terms of numbers on the board.”
Gabriel Agbonlahor says Harry Maguire could lose captain's armband next season
Former Aston Villa striker Gabriel Agbonlahor believes Harry Maguire could be stripped of the Manchester United captaincy next season. The English defender endured a difficult 2021-22 campaign at Old Trafford, so Ten Hag could be tempted to appoint a new captain ahead of the new season.
Speaking to Football Insider, Agbonlahor said that Maguire shouldn’t worry about losing the armband.
“Harry Maguire should be easy about it. If the manager wants to take it off him and give it to someone else, I wouldn’t have a problem with that. The scrutiny of being Man United captain, it might be a relief not to have it. When Man United lose, it’s the captain’s fault; it’s Harry Maguire’s fault,” said Agbonlahor.
He added:
“He’d want to keep it; he’ll be proud to be Man United captain, but if it was to be taken off him, he’d still fancy being a starter out of the defenders they have. I’m sure he rates himself not to be bothered about the scrutiny and rate himself to be a starter. He’s a top defender who has had a bad season.”
