Manchester United manager Erik ten Hag has told the media this past season that the club needs to invest in upgrading the roster this summer. He’s also articulated the fact that he’s conveyed his transfer window plans to the Old Trafford brass. With the top three positions of need (two of which we’ll cover here) identified, let’s do some United transfer talk.
A report in ESPN says that United are leading the race to sign Mason Mount this summer.
Mason Mount, 24, is expected to leave Chelsea, as part of the club’s massive summer clear out. Chelsea have to shed salary and jettison players this window due to
1.) the insane amount of disjointed spending undertaken by Todd Boehly during his first year in charge and
2.) offset all the new players that will be brought in by new manager Mauricio Pochettino.
As the Daily Mail points out, United have opened up negotiations with Chelsea, but the two sides are about £20 million apart in valuation. United are willing to go about £55 million, while Chelsea are said to want £85m for the midfield maestro who has just one year left on his deal.
Acquiring Mason Mount would definitely end United’s long-running interest with Declan Rice, because they won’t be able to afford both.
Shifting gears to between the sticks, United have long put off sorting out the goalkeeper situation behind No. 1 David de Gea. Everyone behind him other than Dean Henderson (himself facing an uncertain future at the club), is out of contract this summer. Moreover, what is the long term plan for replacing De Gea? He’s been at the club for well over a decade, and (now that Phil Jones has been released) is the lone remaining link to the last league title team/Sir Alex Ferguson era.
Enter Portugal national team and Porto star Diogo Costa, 23, who we’ve covered previously here and here. The reports linking him with United are once again resurfacing.
The Guardian has more on the shot-stopper who is wanted by Newcastle and Chelsea.
United are understood to be in pole position on Costa right now as Jack Butland is expected to leave, and the same could be said for Tom Heaton. And with Dean Henderson returning from loan, he’ll almost certainly look into potential destinations where he would be the first choice keeper.
There are a lot of transfer dominoes to fall here, and once the first move is made, a flurry of transactions will follow.
Paul M. Banks is the owner/manager of The Sports Bank. He’s also the author of “Transatlantic Passage: How the English Premier League Redefined Soccer in America,” and “No, I Can’t Get You Free Tickets: Lessons Learned From a Life in the Sports Media Industry.”
He’s written for numerous publications, including the New York Daily News, Sports Illustrated and the Chicago Tribune. He regularly appears on NTD News and WGN News Now. Follow the website on Twitter and Instagram.