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’ll have a summer transfer window filled with many comings and goings.
And with Manchester United linked to approximately 97,324 players already, the time is right for some Red Devils transfer talk. In this edition, we’ll cover one player from each outfield position group. As you may have heard, United need a lot of help in the back line, especially in the central portion, so we’ll start there.
Leicester City man, and well publicized United transfer target Harry Maguire intends to snub the interest of both Manchester clubs, and stay put with the Foxes.
He really thinks highly of what Brendan Rodgers has been able to do at the club and hopes to continue learning under the Northern Irishman.
“Leicester’s an exciting club to be at,” Maguire told the BBC (h/t Metro).
“Brendan has really improved the team in the recent months, and he’s someone we’re looking forward to working with. I’m sure he will take the club forward. ‘He’s definitely got his own aspects in the game, and I’m sure he will improve us. After a good pre-season, I’m sure he’s the man that can help us break into those European spaces.”
According to a report yesterday, United manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has cooled on pursuing Maguire, as well as Napoli’s Kalidou Koulibaly anyway as he’s less interested in an exterior upgrade at the position now.
Solskjaer will give Eric Bailly, as well as Phil Jones, Chris Smalling and Marcos Rojo, a chance to solve the centre back crisis in house instead. Which is basically spin for “not really going to do anything at all.”
Moving up the field, Paris Saint-Germain middleman Adrien Rabiot certainly has no future has in French capital. He had very little playing time with PSG this past season, and needs to move on elsewhere to get back on the pitch with regularity again.
United’s interest is fairly long-standing and decently documented.
According to The Wistle, Rabiot is attracting interest from several Premier League clubs, including Arsenal, but United seem to be most serious and aggressive.
Finally, the process has started in sealing the first United acquisition of the summer transfer window, Swansea City winger Daniel James, however it might not be completed until the middle of next month.
The Manchester Evening News: “understands terms have been agreed with James to secure his switch to Old Trafford, though the transfer was put on hold due to the recent and tragic death of the 21-year-old’s father, Kevan.”
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.