Ratcliffe submits Man Utd bid to sign "remarkable" competition for Hjlund
Ratcliffe submits Man Utd bid to sign "remarkable" competition for Hjlund
Sir Jim Ratcliffe is ready to splash the cash to bring a major name to Manchester United this summer to compete with young striker Rasmus Højlund.
Man Utd transfer rumours
It has been a season of disappointment for new Manchester United part owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe. Erik ten Hag guided the Red Devils to a top-four finish and League Cup triumph in 2022/23, with the boyhood United fan no doubt expecting something similar from the Dutchman this time around. However, United have failed to secure any silverware barring a miraculous result in the FA Cup final, and have missed out on Europe's elite competitions in the Premier League.
While questions will be asked of Ten Hag, it is clear United's current squad is simply not good enough to compete at the highest level. This is something Ratcliffe seems eager to change after taking over the footballing side of the operation earlier this year.
The summer transfer window is not yet open, but United are already been tipped to make some big moves. Manchester United are said to be "looking into the constraints" of a deal for Chelsea left-back Marc Cucurella, and while "there are no active talks ongoing at the moment", his situation is "one to keep an eye on in the coming months".
In midfield, the Red Devils reportedly want to sign Benfica ace Joao Neves, as they look to offload Casemiro at the same time. It has also been claimed that those at Old Trafford are set for a major squad clearout this summer, and Al-Nassr are keen to take advantage of that by making a move for Bruno Fernandes.
Now, fresh reports have linked United with another big name as Ratcliffe's revival of the Red Devils gets underway.
Ratcliffe to bid near 70m for remarkable star
According to a report from Spain, as cited by TEAMtalk, Manchester United have launched an initial bid to lure Ivan Toney away from Brentford. It is claimed the Manchester outfit have “presented an initial offer close to €70m” to Brentford for the striker, with the bid said to be part of a strategy by Ratcliffe to make a splash in the transfer market.
Toney has been a key figure at Brentford during their rise to the Premier League. In 140 games for the club, he has scored 72 goals and assisted 22, which is more goals and assists for the Bees alone than Højlund has in his entire career to date, suggesting the young Dane could benefit from Toney's experience.
The England international has also received high praise from long-time manager Thomas Frank: “Ivan is amazing in many, many aspects. The way he copes with pressure and distractions is amazing.
“He’s been scoring goals, performing for the team and driving the team. He’s remarkable. I can only talk about the Ivan that I see every day around the place and he’s a fantastic person around the group. He’s got that unique emotional intelligence to be aware of all the players, and every staff member. Ivan trains well and he’s clearly the number two striker in England, that’s proven by his goals and performances."