Manchester United “building connections” in Saudi Arabia as three stars ‘may be sold’ this summer

Manchester United are reportedly building connections with clubs in Saudi Arabia as three players may be sold in the summer.

Rúben Amorim’s time as Manchester United head coach is beginning to take shape, as the 39-year-old works to evaluate and mold his squad.

The players have spent several weeks adapting to Amorim’s 3-4-3 system, and the coach is starting to gain a deeper understanding of their capabilities and areas for development.

Read More: “Modern way of coaching” – Insiders reveal key change Ruben Amorim has made at Man Utd training ground

Meanwhile, United are focusing their 2025 transfer strategy on the summer window, with limited funds available for January.

Although Amorim has significant input in identifying the team’s needs, the recruitment process is being led by sporting director Dan Ashworth and director of recruitment Christopher Vivell.

Building Saudi connections

With United looking to sell players in order to raise funds due to the Premier League’s Profit and Sustainability regulations, they are branching out to build connections with other leagues.

According to The Athletic, the club have started to build relationships with clubs in Saudi Arabia to see if this market can be an option for selling in the future.

Backed by significant financial resources, including the Saudi Public Investment Fund (PIF), clubs from Saudi Arabia can afford high transfer fees and substantial salaries.

This financial muscle has enabled the league to recruit high-profile players and managers, often focusing on experienced European stars to raise the league’s global profile and competitiveness.

However, a lot of their major purchases happened in 2023, meaning United may be a little late to the party.

Three potential sales

Further, The Athletic explained that United have three players they may look to move on in the summer, with Amorim no doubt keen to bring in new stars.

The first is Antony. After signing for £85 million in 2022, the Brazilian winger has failed to live up to expectations, and his value has dropped to around £16 million.

The second is Casemiro, whom United looked to sell last summer. Although the 32-year-old has performed well in recent months, his bloated wages and ageing profile mean United may want to cash in as soon as possible.

Finally, new £36.5 million striker Joshua Zirkzee is also mentioned. He has failed to settle into life at the club during the opening months of this campaign and is gathering interest from Juventus.

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