The rebuild of Manchester United could definitely take some time, so get ready and dig your heels in for that. The upshot is that we should, at least in theory, have a blockbuster summer transfer window filled with many comings and goings.
With Manchester United linked to approximately 97,324 players already (although only one has actually been acquired), the time is right for some Red Devils transfer talk. With just 11 days until players report for training camp, United need to take their slow start to the summer transfer window and really kick it up a notch.
We start with the latest on the Romelu Lukaku to Inter Milan, “will he or won’t he?” saga. Lukaku reportedly really wants this move, and he’s strongly hinted at that, out in full public view, when he declared their new manager Antonio Conte the best in the world.
United are willing to sell, but only if they can get a substantial return on this massive investment that they made in 2017. Old Trafford is looking for not just a big transfer fee, but also Inter centre back Milan Skriniar in return. Let’s refer to Calciomercato:
Corriere dello Sport say that Inter have tried to do a deal with United involving Mauro Icardi and Ivan Perisic, but the Red Devils’ response to a deal like that has been negative.
So it seems like we’re at a bit of an impasse here. Conte wants to make Lukaku his very first summer signing, but he also doesn’t want to part ways with Skriniar.
ESPN FC rates the probability of this happening at 1%
Elsewhere, Crystal Palace right back Aaron Wan-Bissaka has definitely been the incoming United transfer rumor of the summer while Paul Pogba has been the outgoing United transfer rumor of the summer. There seems to be a stalemate in the AWB discussions at this point, and that means United could be looking elsewhere, with Max Aarons of Norwich City right at the top of the fallback options list.
Aarons is a name that has been tossed around earlier this transfer window, and perhaps United’s interest in him could be used as a ploy in transfer negotiations with Palace over Wan-Bisska.
The Mirror has a piece on the 19-year-old Aarons today, who remains under contract at Carrow Road until 2023. The EFL Young Player of the Year and English international is valued at around £15 million.
Finally, we return to United’s quixotic central defender upgrade quest. West Ham United’s Issa Diop is the latest transfer rumor du jour in this regard, and apparently the Irons’ asking price will be very high. How high? £75 million, which would tie the world record for a defender, but hey, at least it’s not the ridiculously egregious £90 million that Leicester City want for Harry Maguire.
ESPN FC rates the probability of this happening at 40%
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.
Banks, a former writer for NBC Chicago.com and Chicago Tribune.com, also contributes to Chicago Now. Follow him on Twitter and Instagram. The content of his cat’s Instagram account is unquestionably superior to his.