Manchester United are expecting a busy summer window but look set to miss out on two young transfer targets to Premier League rivals.
Manchester United have spent most of the season being linked with attacking players as this has clearly been the weakest area at the club.
Ruben Amorim seems not to favour Antony and Marcus Rashford, who could both leave the club in the summer. Jadon Sancho had a problematic relationship with Erik ten Hag and although a fresh start under Amorim might have been possible, Chelsea have an obligation to buy on their loan contract with him.
This has meant that most of the players that United have been scouting are in the forward areas and there has been positive signs that United could bring in a number of attacking players.
However it now seems like United are going to miss out on two exciting transfer targets to rival Premier League rivals in the coming months.
United miss out on Nypan and Yildiz
The first player is Sverre Nypan, from Rosenborg, who has been a long-term target for United. The 17 year-old Norwegian attacking midfielder is highly rated amongst the Premier League’s elite. United had sent scouts to watch Nypan back in September when Ten Hag was still manager.
It now seems that Aston Villa have beaten “Big Six” sides United, Manchester City and Arsenal to sign Nypan. Simon Collings with The Standard has reported that Villa have “emerged as the frontrunners” to sign Nypan for £10 million.
Villa’s interest has gone as far as sending their President of football operations, Monchi, to Rosenborg games. It’s possible that Nypan was more of a Ten Hag target and that’s why United’s transfer focus has shifted away from the Norwegian under Amorim.
The second player is Kenan Yildiz from Juventus. Yildiz is a more recent transfer target for United with reports starting in March that the club was interested in the 19 year-old left winger. The transfer was then given in a boost earlier this month when there were reports that Yildiz did not have the best relationship with Juventus’ now sacked manager Thiago Motta.
Both reports suggested United were not the only curious party with Premier League rivals Arsenal, Liverpool and Manchester City all showing interest from the start. However, it now appears that Chelsea have entered the race and steamed ahead, with Footmercato in France saying the club are “determined to accelerate negotiations with Juventus and Kenan Yildiz’s entourage”.
With Yildiz fitting the current Chelsea transfer profile – young attacking players that can be sold on for a profi – and United seeming more interested in other players, it seems unlikely that Yildiz will sign for Amorim’s side.
United shifting their transfer focus
There is a possibility that this is not all bad news that is out of United’s control and is in fact the result of a change in transfer focus. Although United were clearly interested in both young forwards there are a couple of reasons that the club may have moved away from them.
Although Yildiz is a massive talent, the asking fee from Juventus was around £70 million. It seems likely that United are going to sign Matheus Cunha for £64 million. Cunha is Premier League proven and would cost £6 million less than Yildiz, making him seem like a far safer option for the club.
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As previously mentioned, United moving away from the Nypan may be due to the change in manager. Ten Hag favoured a 4-3-3 system where his options for attacking midfield were Bruno Fernandes, Chrtistain Eriksen and Mason Mount, who has been burdened with injuries.
When Amorim joined United, he changed the system and pivoted towards a back five with an attack consisting of two forwards behind a central striker. These two forwards can operate as two number 10s or drift out wide, meaning that the club’s attacking midfielders and wingers can fulfil this role, making a player of Nypan’s style not a priority.
This means that although it may be disappointing to see two talented young players going to United’s rivals, it is likely because of a plan within the club to shift the summer transfer strategy.
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