Michael Olise, Jarrad Branthwaite and Johan Bakayoko are all on Man Utd’s radar ahead of the summer.
Manchester United are ‘keeping in contact’ with three centre-backs to avoid Jarrad Branthwaite tunnel vision, while a Michael Olise alternative has set his own asking price.
NO ‘TUNNEL VISION’
Erik ten Hag will want to make improvements throughout his Manchester United squad come the summer, with the defence said to be a particular source of concern for the Dutchman.
Jarrad Branthwaite appears to be the most in demand centre-back right now, with Chelsea, Arsenal and Real Madrid all said to have enquired about the Everton star, but it’s United and Tottenham set for a ‘transfer scramble’, according to the Daily Mail.
The report claims United, whose transfers will be under the control of Sir Jim Ratcliffe’s and Ineos for the first time this summer, are said to be targeting two young centre-backs, and Branthwaite is particularly appealing given his preference to operate on the left side.
But crucially, given United’s penchant to put all their eggs in one basket in their chase of specific targets in the past, it’s claimed ‘there is no tunnel vision on Branthwaite’.
It’s claimed they are ‘keeping in contact’ with a number of other options, including Benfica’s Antonio Silva, Jean-Clair Todibo at Nice, and Lille’s 18-year-old Leny Yoro, who has caught Real Madrid’s eye.
SUBJECTIVE OBJECTIVITY
PSV Eindhoven director Earnest Stewart has already admitted that this is likely to be Johan Bakayoko’s final season for the Dutch giants, and amid interest from United, the winger has set his own asking price.
Bakayoko’s got six goals and 13 assists in all competitions for PSV this season, exclusively from the right wing, where his performances have compared favourably with United star Antony, who cost the Red Devils twice as much as Bakayoko reckons he’s worth.
The 20-year-old was particularly impressive in their 1-1 draw with Arsenal in the Champions League group stage, which likely added a few quid to his Premier League price.
Asked what he reckons he would be worth, Bakayoko replied: “I think that’s a really funny question. You also have to look at what others can do. If you look closely and look very objectively, I don’t think there are many players my age who do what I do. I don’t know what the prices are, but I think between 40 and 50 million euros is reasonable.”
We would query whether a footballer judging their own value can be “very objective” , but Transfermarkt reckon he’s worth €40m, so Bakayoko’s about right.
TOP TARGET OLISE
It seems though that United’s top priority on the right wing remains Michael Olise, though they look set to face a fight from Liverpool, Arsenal and Manchester City for his services.
Olise has managed six goals and three assists in just 11 Premier League appearances this term, seemingly catching the eye of all the big boys through his displays for Crystal Palace.
Ratcliffe and Ineos are said to be focused on signing homegrown talent, which puts Olise above Bakayoko and other right wing targets on their transfer shortlist.
A swap deal involving former Palace star Aaron Wan-Bissaka has been mooted in the past and transfer expert Alex Crook says that remains a possible route for United to explore, before explaining they are working on the deal behind the scenes in a bid to beat their rivals to the 22-year-old’s signing.
Crook said: “Manchester United will be working on this deal actively behind the scenes. Man City and Chelsea have also shown interest, so I think United will want to try to get that deal done early if they can.”
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