Ineos owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe has made secret about his plans to make young, up-and-coming talent the cornerstone of Manchester United’s new era.
If The Red Devils’ new minority owner proves to be as good as his word, we certainly will not miss the days when the Premier League giants scramble around in the market for short-term solutions to long-standing problems.
A tendency perhaps best emphasised by the almost annual signing of an ageing, 30-something centre-forward.
While some were more successful than others – Zlatan Ibrahimovic, Edinson Cavani and Cristiano Ronaldo on one hand with Wout Weghorst and Odion Ighalo in the other – all five arrivals typified the lack of joined-up, long-term thinking and genuine footballing expertise in the Old Trafford boardroom.
Manchester United were linked with Mehdi Taremi
Mehdi Taremi, reportedly a Manchester United target back in the summer of 2023 per Jornal de Noticias, would not have been quite so desperate a signing as, say, Weghorst. While the Dutchman was out of favour at Burnley, Taremi was banging in 31 goals for FC Porto.
But still, this was exactly the sort of signing Ratcliffe has warned against; Critical, for instance, of the Casemiro deal and demanding Man United find up-and-coming superstars rather than being lured like a moth to a flame towards established big names, per The Guardian.
Taremi would not have come cheap either. According to Inter Live, Man United were mulling over to offer around £8.5 million back in November, planning ahead for the winter window. A contract worth around £75,000-a-wee net that would keep him at Old Trafford until his mid-30s was also mooted.
And it may be no coincidence that those Taremi rumours disappeared once Ratcliffe finally took control. Man United, hamstrung in their striker search anyway by Financial Fair Play concerns, would not return for the experienced Iran international even when he agreed to join Inter Milan on a free transfer this summer.
His Porto contract expires in July.
Former Porto ace now heading to Inter Milan
Now, speaking to Iranian reporter Hatam Shiralizadeh, Taremi has opened up on the journey that took him to the Serie A champions. He admits that a number of Premier League clubs had made ‘offers’ too, albeit while stopping short of mentioning Man United by name.
“I have never considered proposals like that of Al Hilal or in any case from the Arab region,” Taremi explains, via Tuttomercatoweb. “I always look for opportunities to grow and to join stronger teams.
“Several clubs in Europe have expressed interest, but none of them have sent an official offer. Before arriving at Inter, I received offers from three or four clubs in England, two or three clubs in Italy and one of the top clubs in Spain.”
As Taremi arrives in Italy, Joshua Zirkzee could soon be preparing to do the opposite.
Man United, in line with Ineos’ own views of how their football operation should be structured, have now shifted their focus from short-term, Glazer-style signings towards a younger model with far greater longevity in mind.
Zirkzee, only 23, is nearly a decade Taremi’s junior after all.
According to iNews, United are now trying to fast-track the Dutchman’s arrival. The departure of Mason Greenwood could go a long way to making that happen.
- READ MORE: Manchester United confirmed signings, transfers in, out, loan exits, releases for 2024/25
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