Man United to ‘fail summer transfer’ following precedent set by Chelsea and Liverpool

Manchester United are tipped to fail a big-money summer transfer following a precedent set by Liverpool and Chelsea last season.

Manchester United are looking to bring in another striker this summer, with Rasmus Højlund requiring support on the front line with the pending departure of Anthony Martial.

A number of names have been linked to Erik ten Hag‘s side already, with Brighton’s Evan Ferguson one among them – although he is one on a list of names that are being discussed, journalist Ben Jacobs describes.

Read More: Three Man United players slammed by Peter Schmeichel for “doing nothing” in Brentford draw

“Evan Ferguson is a possibility, along with a number of other strikers that are being looked at by Manchester United,” Jacobs told GiveMeSport.

“With Ferguson, the price could well be a stumbling block. It’s going to be difficult for Manchester United to find that £100m or so for any one player in any position without outgoings first, which is why we may not know a clearer picture until after the 30th of June.

“Brighton don’t put valuations on players. So the feeling that Ferguson is £100m is based upon age, potential, profile, demand, and the fact that relatively recently, he signed a new deal. So Brighton are well protected.”

INEOS, who are now in control of United’s summer transfer plans following Sir Jim Ratcliffe’s 27.7% acquisition of the club, are working on a restricted budget. Profit and sustainability rules have limited United’s spending after multiple summers of ambitious, high-value signings.

£100 million is certainly too much for the club to commit to a single player this summer.

Jacobs then added that due to the precedent that both Liverpool and Chelsea set surrounding the negotiations with Brighton for Moises Caiedo, where both clubs kept out-bidding each other, United will likely fail to get Ferguson for the cut-price fee they’d need in order to sign him.

“Then add to that how they handled the Moises Caicedo exit, and it’s logical to think that nobody is going to get Evan Ferguson on the cheap,” he concluded.

Ferguson is not the only Premier League player that United may be shopping for this summer, with INEOS wanting to target players who are either English or have Premier League experience.

UtdDistrict have been told that Manchester United are heavily interested in 26-year-old Fulham defender Tosin Adarabioyo and have been monitoring his situation at Fulham with the player out of contract at the end of June.

United have been impressed with the English defender’s aerial and ball-playing abilities. Formal contacts between the player and the club are expected to take place soon.