With the transfer window not yet officially open, we wouldn’t expect Manchester United to be too active just yet.
Last summer after all, the club had extra months to plan due to the extended transfer window, and still left 80 per cent of the club’s incomings to deadline day in October.
Ever the optimists, we live in hope that this year will be different. There is certainly an incentive to get business done early, prior to the European Championships.
BILD report United are serious about signing Jadon Sancho, and while he would cost close to £80 million, this is a fee which is substantially less than the fee touted last summer.
United have not yet publicly made a move for Sancho, but other actions being taken by the club suggest the decks are being cleared for his arrival, or that of another major signing.
Savings enable a big signing
The first clue was given with United deciding to extend Eric Bailly’s contract.
Bailly is United’s third choice central defender and will have received some assurances prior to signing his deal.
At differing points this season, it has appeared as though a centre-back was United’s priority. Options included Jules Kounde, but with The Mail reporting he could cost £68 million, the deal becomes difficult because it would use up the Sancho funds.
A second indication to United plans, came when Edinson Cavani renewed his contract this week.
For a short while there was some debate as to whether United should shelve the pursuit of Sancho in favour of Dortmund teammate Erling Haaland instead.
His £100m+ price tag and Dortmund’s reluctance to sell made this near impossible anyway, and United’s renewal of Cavani’s contract shows the club are content to stick, instead of twist, when it comes to the striker position in the short-term.
The third clue as to United’s plans comes with news the club are ‘close’ to signing goalkeeper Tom Heaton as a free agent, The Telegraph reported.
The alternative was a move of around £15 million for Sam Johnstone, with United requiring a new back-up.
The club have simply chosen the easier and cheaper option, ensuring none of the required Sancho funds are used up elsewhere.
Other deals can be done later
A new centre-back, a young striker, a right-back, and more pressingly, a defensive midfielder, could all be targeted later in the window.
These deals become easier when United start selling players, with funds possible to be generated from the likes of Jesse Lingard, Andreas Pereira and even David de Gea.
But with a large outlay needed early for Sancho, for cashflow reasons, it makes sense for United to clear the decks, and concentrate on his signing.
Once Sancho is in, the rest of the summer will look after itself, the window will automatically feel like a success.
All indications look at present, as though United are preparing to make a major early signing. Let’s hope we are right…
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