It has been revealed that Manchester United are on the verge of a double transfer, with both signings fitting into the INEOS trend at Old Trafford
Since Sir Jim Ratcliffe purchased a stake in Manchester United, 11 players have joined the club as INEOS signings and most have impressed, compared to signings made before the new recruitment team was made.
Matthijs de Ligt, Noussair Mazraoui and Leny Yoro joined as defensive reinforcements under Erik ten Hag, but they have all continued to impress, despite the managerial change in November.
Jason Wilcox and the rest of the recruitment team, at that time including Dan Ashworth, have put a clear focus on signing young footballers with high potential, for a lower fee.
In January, Patrick Chinazeakepere Dorgu and Ayden Heaven moved to Old Trafford, as two more perfect examples of the type of transfers that United will continue to look for.
The recruitment team are also looking for transfers to strengthen the academy, before making an impact on Rúben Amorim’s first team in later years, like Sekou Kone and Chido Obi.
Wilcox key to signing Emsden-James and Kana-Biyik
With Matheus Cunha’s transfer now confirmed, United are looking to continue their transfer business with two more signings, set to be announced in the coming days, reports Steven Railston.
The first of the two signings is Southampton’s Harley Emsden-James, a 16-year-old central defender who is expected to join United’s under-18s.
Before joining United, Wilcox worked as director of football for Southampton and he is familiar with Emsden-James’ talent; he is said to have played “an important role” in the defender’s transfer.
Also signing for the Red Devils is Enzo Kana-Biyik, formerly of Le Havre, with an official announcement expected soon.
Despite previous reports suggesting that Kana-Biyik would be loaned to INEOS-owned Laussane, it has been suggested that no decision has been made, which could mean he might stay at the club next season and compete for minutes in the under-21s with Gabriele Biancheri.
Kana-Biyik move points to Obi loan
If Kana-Biyik does remain at Old Trafford next season, he is unlikely to be fighting for minutes in the first team from the outset. His transition to English football will likely follow a similar trajectory to Kone’s when he moved from Mali.
However, if the young striker does spend the 2025/26 season at Old Trafford, it could leave too many centre forwards at the club, especially if a new No.9 joins the club.
Read More: Manchester United set two demands for Victor Osimhen before initiating “further talks” over transfer
Obi will want to be playing regular football next season, ideally in the first team, but his minutes will have to be balanced with Rasmus Hojlund and Joshua Zirkzee, as well as the two academy strikers.
The former Arsenal striker may look for a loan move away from Old Trafford if he isn’t guaranteed regular football next season, as the 17-year-old needs to play consistently to develop.
Make sure to follow UtdDistrict on X, Instagram, Facebook, YouTube, and TikTok to never miss out on any of our Manchester United content. Our podcast, What the Devil?, is streamed live every Thursday at 12:30 pm (BST) on the United View YouTube channel.