Manchester United, along with the rest of most global football, are off indefinitely, so let’s do some transfer talk instead. If there’s one thing that can survive a global pandemic, it’s transfer rumors. There are now multiple reports that the Premier League could return to action in June, and play matches behind closed doors. There are now even reports circulating that the season could complete by June 30.
That is of course contingent on containment and mitigation of the coronavirus. Until then we only have transfer talk to do, and before we get started I encourage you to check out our all United transfer rumor starting XI and our optimal United XI with top transfer targets acquired and key players retained.
(For today’s MUFC news items round-up go to this link)
We start with news of United pursuing a €100m (£87m, $109m) target. Yes, this is the reported release clause, at least for non Serie A clubs, that belongs to Torino striker Andrea Belotti.
The Italian international is in very high demand, with Everton and Napoli also keen. The Daily Star has more at this link.
Elsewhere Napoli central defender Kalidou Koulibaly is a long time United target, and Old Trafford has been strongly linked with him again this spring. The Daily Mail, citing Tuttosport, reveals that United are in “constant contact” with the Serie A club Napoli about obtaining Koulibaly this summer.
United broke the world transfer fee record for a defender last summer when they signed Harry Maguire from Leicester City. Now imagine what they could do with the 28-year-old Senegalese international paired up with him?
It would be an expensive proposition to be sure, but it might be worth it, especially with Chris Smalling potentially off to AS Roma or Arsenal.
Paul M. Banks runs The Sports Bank.net, which is partnered with News Now. Banks, the author of “No, I Can’t Get You Free Tickets: Lessons Learned From a Life in the Sports Media Industry,” regularly appears on WGN CLTV and co-hosts the “Let’s Get Weird, Sports” podcast on SB Nation.
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