No position is guaranteed this summer as Manchester United look to overhaul their current squad going into next season.
Following the signing of their first player in what promises to be a busy summer, Manchester United are now turning their focus to offloading squad members deemed surplus to requirements. The goal is to raise funds to pursue key transfer targets.
Several high-profile names including Marcus Rashford, Alejandro Garnacho, Jadon Sancho, and Antony are expected to be sold rather than loaned out again, as the club looks to make permanent departures a priority.
United continue to target a marquee striker and additional midfield reinforcements. With Matheus Cunha already arriving for £62.5 million and, though recently stalling, strong links to a move for Bryan Mbeumo, significant sales will be necessary to fund further purchases.
One player whose future has come under scrutiny is goalkeeper André Onana, who has reportedly drawn interest amid speculation over a possible exit this summer.
Talks stepped up for Emi Martinez
Despite having a good working relationship with his shot stopper, as exclusively revealed by UtdDistrict, Ruben Amorim is now reportedly keen to move on the Cameroonian and bring in Martinez as his replacement.
Speaking to Football Insider, Mick Brown, United’s former chief scout has said that the club are prepared to open formal talks over a deal for the Argentinian keeper after Onana is sold, and explained that the Reds will now ‘take whatever they can get’ for the no.24, rather than waiting for a specific valuation.
“Man United have made it clear they would like to sign Martinez, they’ll take whatever they can get for Onana, and then they’ll make contact with Aston Villa and see if they can get a deal over the line,” Brown said.
“The only issue as things stand is that they need to move Onana away before they go for Martinez because they don’t want to end up with both on the books. They’re waiting for a bid to arrive so that they can accelerate things and start speaking to Villa.”
Selling Onana shouldn’t be a priority
Although Martínez has publicly stated his intention to remain at Aston Villa, he also hasn’t ruled out a move away from Villa Park this summer. With the club under pressure to sell players in order to comply with Profit and Sustainability Rules after missing out on Champions League qualification, a transfer remains a possibility.
For United to make a move for the 32-year-old goalkeeper, however, they would likely need to part ways with Onana. The Cameroonian has previously attracted interest from Saudi clubs and could yet receive offers that would help fund such a transfer.
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Given United’s current financial constraints, though, spending an estimated £40 million on Martínez may not be the wisest allocation of resources. The squad has more urgent needs,particularly in attack, where United managed just 36 goals across all competitions last season.
Despite Onana’s inconsistent performances over two campaigns, addressing the lack of firepower up front should take precedence over replacing the goalkeeper.
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