Manchester United are looking to sign Manuel Ugarte from Paris Saint-Germain but it has proven to be a tough task. A solution is on the cards, however.
Jadon Sancho, who has been linked with a move away from the club, has caught the eye of the French giants. They are currently seeking a replacement for Kylian Mbappé and only a big signing – or at least an exciting one – will fill the void that the 25-year-old’s absence left.
Sancho may not be the man for the job but his talents were once worth over £70 million and were sought after by several clubs. Seeing as there is no winger or forward of Mbappé’s quality that is readily available, the French Ligue 1 club are looking to settle down for Sancho.
United’s desperation for Ugarte could lead them to include Sancho in the deal despite manager Erik ten Hag insinuating that the Englishman has a future at Old Trafford.
The injury to Rasmus Højlund forced ten Hag to try Sancho in the false nine position in pre-season and when he was asked about it, he stated that it was a possibility he was considering for the few games which Højlund would miss once the season kicks off.
What ten Hag feels right now may be inconsequential as reports have it that both clubs have held talks over a move for Sancho. £40 million is United’s asking price and they may use it as a bargaining chip to get the Uruguayan midfielder.
United, meanwhile, have unveiled plans to build a new state-of-the-art stadium right next to Old Trafford.
As part of the changes being championed by the INEOS Group, a change to the stadium was being planned. Renovations, demolishing and building a new stadium were all on the table and reports claimed that demolition was the favoured option.
Now, it has emerged that building a new stadium while leaving Old Trafford is what Sir Jim Ratcliffe and his group wants. They want Old Trafford to remain as a legacy while they build a new £2 billion, 100,000-capacity stadium. However, Old Trafford, which currently is a 74,310-seater stadium, would be scaled down to 35,000 which would become the women’s home ground as well as the home ground for the academy teams.
The plans to build the new stadium are yet to be unveiled but are believed to be progressing with the kickoff date being scheduled for late 2025.
