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Manchester United secured a 3-1 victory over Reading at Old Trafford on Saturday (January 28) in the FA Cup fourth round, thanks to a Casemiro brace and a strike by Fred.
Meanwhile, the Red Devils have suffered a blow in their pursuit of Harry Kane. Elsewhere, the Premier League giants are no longer targeting a new right-back, according to acclaimed transfer expert Fabrizio Romano.
On that note, here's a look at the key Manchester United transfer stories as on January 29, 2023:
Manchester United suffer Harry Kane blow
Manchester United are unlikely to secure the signature of Harry Kane this summer, according to journalist Ben Jacobs.
Manager Erik ten Hag is eager to add a new No. 9 to his roster, and the English striker is on his radar. The 29-year-old has been outstanding for Tottenham Hotspur over the years.
However, in his column for Football Transfers, Jacobs said that the Red Devils might not have the funds to complete a deal for Kane this summer.
“You start to look, for example, at Manchester United who have been rumoured. I know that some are quoting £85m, but I think if Kane's to go, it will be a shade closer to £100m. Manchester United, despite these links, can't guarantee that type of money because they would be speaking on behalf of, in all likelihood, an ownership group that are not even in,” wrote Jacobs.
He added:
“So to say that they're somehow confident of spending that amount of money and getting this type of player Is really premature. And then if you look at the Glazers still being in charge, if that was the eventuality, they've not wanted to spend even £40m in the January window.”
He continued:
“Are they going to drop somewhere close to £100m on Kane if they are still the incumbent, especially if they realised that the takeover is getting closer again? I think that's relatively unlikely.”
Kane has registered 18 goals and three assists from 29 games across competitions this season for Spurs.
Red Devils no longer targeting new right-back
Manchester United are no longer interested in a new right-back, according to Fabrizio Romano. Ten Hag was previously expected to strengthen the area this year, but Aaron Wan-Bissaka’s rise has convinced him to shelve those plans.
In his column for Caught Offside, Romano also hinted that budget constraints might hurt Ten Hag’s plans in the market.
“Manchester United were considering signing a new right-back this January, but then they decided to continue with Aaron Wan-Bissaka, this was one of the possible changes. Ten Hag is also keeping an eye on midfielders for present and future, but as he said, on the budget side it’s not up to him,” wrote Romano.
Wan-Bissaka has been a first-team regular since the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar and has registered one assist in 11 games across competitions this season.
Casemiro delighted to be at Manchester United
Casemiro has said that he's enjoying every moment of his stay at Old Trafford. The Brazilian joined Manchester United last summer from Real Madrid and has quickly established himself as one of Ten Hag’s most important players.
Speaking to Goal, the 30-year-old said that he's happy with his adaptation so far.
“When you arrive at a new club, you always dream of making history… especially if we see the greatness of this club. We know the history. But of course, I was aware of needing some time to adapt and of the rivals having a long-term plan before ours, like Arsenal, Manchester City and Liverpool,” said Casemiro.
He continued:
“They all have managers that have been there for a while and, therefore, they have an advantage. I’m happy with my adaptation here, my teammates and the staff are really helping me … also with the English language, it’s been quite hard, but I’m really trying to get better.”
Casemiro added that he's enjoying every moment at the club like a 15-year-old.
“Everyone here has been lovely with me, and since the first day, I feel at home here. I appreciate all the effort that the club has done to bring me here, John (Murtough) included. I’m very comfortable at Manchester United, extremely happy to be here and enjoying every moment like a 15-year-old kid! But the most important is to see the team growing,” said Casemiro.
The Brazilian has appeared 28 times across competitions for United this season, scoring four goals and setting up five more.
