Manchester United are reportedly planning to target players entering the final year of their contracts this summer, as new minority owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe aims to strengthen the squad amid financial constraints. According to ESPN, the club have money to spend but remain under pressure from the Premier League's profit and sustainability rules.
The Red Devils were unable to make any signings in the January transfer window due to these regulations, leaving manager Erik ten Hag without the forward he desired after Anthony Martial's injury. Martial, whose contract expires in June, underwent surgery and is not expected to feature prominently again for the club.
Ten Hag acknowledged the need for a striker: 'It's not a secret that I wanted a striker extra. Because with the injury of Martial, we don't really have back-up there, but it was not possible because we have to match the Financial Fair Play rules.' He added that players like Omari Forson, Amad Diallo, and Marcus Rashford could cover the position.
With Ratcliffe's £1.25bn purchase of a 25 per cent stake moving forward, United are planning for the summer. However, the purse strings may remain tight, leading the 13-time Premier League champions to focus on players with less than 12 months remaining on their contracts, similar to the approach taken with Mason Mount last year.
Potential targets include Bayern Munich's Joshua Kimmich, Lille's Jonathan David, and Nice's Kephren Thuram, all of whom see their deals expire in 2025. Kimmich is also attracting interest from Manchester City and Newcastle United, while Bayern's Alphonso Davies is reportedly favoured a move to Real Madrid.
