Man United set firm budget for in-demand star as Newcastle eye 19-goal striker amid Alexander Isak interest
A closer look at some of the latest Premier League transfer headlines currently doing the rounds.
Man United set firm budget for in-demand star as Newcastle eye 19-goal striker amid Alexander Isak interest
The final Premier League showdown is upon us and once Sunday’s fixtures play out, the transfer rumours are guaranteed to kick up a notch. There have already been hundreds of reports since the January window closed regarding players leaving clubs and blockbuster signings potentially on the horizon, but how many will come to fruition?
As we prepare to say goodbye to another thrilling Premier League season, let’s take a look ahead to what kind of business has been rumoured to take place this summer.
Man United set budget for in-demand defender
Manchester United are preparing for a huge overhaul of players once this season ends, with a number of senior players placed on the chopping block. As players are sold, new recruits will come through the door and one of the Red Devils’ main targets is Everton’s Jarrad Branthwaite.
Amid the Toffees’ relegation fears, outlets predicted them to cash in on their star centre-back this summer but now they are safe, they are even more reluctant to see him leave. Everton reportedly value Branthwaite at a staggering £80 million but a report from GiveMeSport has claimed that United are not willing to entertain even close to that asking price. Instead, the Reds have firmly capped their maximum budget for the defender at £55 million.
The 3AM Verdict: While today’s market is very much ‘pay what they want or you might miss out’, United have a lot to focus on this summer. With an Old Trafford exodus predicted, Jim Ratcliffe and co will be extremely busy recruiting in other areas as well as United’s struggling defence. While they are expected to cash in on a number of players, they must still try to keep outgoings as low as possible. And, with Everton already on the wrong side of the Profit and Sustainability rules this season, there isn’t a lot of room for them to negotiate when it comes to raising funds through player sales.
Newcastle eye 19-goal striker
Like Man United, Newcastle have a lot of speculation surrounding them right now as they could be forced to sell some of their most important players. In recent months, Bruno Guimarães, Anthony Gordon and Alexander Isak have all been linked with potential summer exits amid interest from other Premier League clubs. The latter is arguably the most sought-after and selling someone of Isak’s calibre would be a huge blow to the Magpies.
Callum Wilson is also expected to leave this summer and Miguel Almirón is the subject of Saudi Arabia interest. Newcastle could be in for a whole attacking shakeup, and according to Sports Lens, Eddie Howe’s side are eyeing up a potential move for Bournemouth’s Dominic Solanke.
The striker has taken his career to a new level since his move to the Cherries and with 19 goals this season, he is currently the Premier League’s fourth highest scorer this season. Only Isak, Cole Palmer and Erling Haaland have scored more than Solanke.
The 3AM Verdict: Newcastle are hoping to keep hold of Isak beyond the summer but the money being linked with his potential move could be too good to turn down and they will eventually need to sign a replacement. Recruiting directly from a Premier League rival would be strong business as Solanke is already comfortable in the division and will surely only improve when surrounded by top class playmakers like Gordon and others. Even if they keep Isak and still sign Solanke, Howe could switch up his formation and have two deadly strikers leading the line — that’s something that will surely get Newcastle back up into the top four next season.