Manchester United transfer could be “done by Friday” if the club play one key card

Manchester United may be able to close their first transfer of the summer by Friday if they make the correct decision for Erik ten Hag.

Erik ten Hag is hunting for a new first-choice goalkeeper this summer as he looks to further integrate a new style of football into his Manchester United squad.

Earlier this month, it was revealed that Jordan Pickford, Diogo Costa, and André Onana were Ten Hag’s top three choices to replace David de Gea as the new Old Trafford goalkeeper this summer, and the club have since settled on Onana as the first choice.

Read More: One similarity and one difference between Manchester United and Manchester City transfer windows

According to the Italian newspaper Gazzetta dello Sport, those high up at Inter Milan are keen to get a deal for Onana completed as soon as they can as they may use the money to fund a potential permanent move for Chelsea’s Romelu Lukaku.

There was a meeting yesterday between Inter sporting director Piero Ausilio and United director of football operations David Harrison, with both clubs keen to finalise the deal as soon as possible.

United know that Inter Milan are demanding around £43 million plus some performance-related bonuses. Should the Red Devils play the correct card and bid this figure, a deal could be struck almost immediately, with the Italian outlet explaining that it could be as fast as this coming Friday.

Erik ten Hag is keen to have Onana at the club by the time pre-season starts at the beginning of July, with the first set of players due to arrive back at Carrington training ground on Monday 3 July.

United will fly to Oslo to face Leeds United on 12 July before heading out to the United States for their pre-season tour.