Manchester United are closing in on a Luke Shaw injury replacement.
The Red Devils have had to make some late adjustments to their transfer priorities due to the Englishman’s long-term muscle injury sustained in training, with backup option Tyrell Malacia also currently on the treatment table.
While right-back Diogo Dalot has shown himself to be a capable deputy out on the left, it seems that the Erik ten Hag is keen to add a more natural player for that position, which has seen Man Utd linked with the likes of Marcos Alonso and Sergio Reguilon.
It is Chelsea’s Marc Cucurella, however, who sits atop the Dutchman’s shortlist and Man Utd have officially tabled a loan offer with a fee “in excess of £2m,” according to Fabrizio Romano. The Italian transfer expert also mentioned that “Chelsea want more, talks ongoing to make it happen.”
As for the man himself, the Spaniard has agreed personal terms ‘in principle’ with Man Utd, reports Romano. United are trying to strike a deal as soon as possible and won’t negotiate for any other left-backs unless the deal falls through.
Tagliafico pushing for move
Despite this, there are other options available and one of them, Lyon’s Nicolas Tagliafico, is pushing for a move after learning of United’s interest, FootballTransfers can exclusively reveal.
Tagliafico enjoyed an incredibly successful time together with Erik ten Hag at Ajax and is keen to be reunited with his former coach. Lyon, we are told, would prefer to keep the Argentine, however.
It seems unlikely that Tagliafico will get his wish unless talks with Chelsea for Cucurella go awry.
Broken Amrabat promise
With time in the transfer window running out and there still being no new developments on the Sofyan Amrabat front, Erik ten Hag is set to break the promise he apparently made to the Fiorentina star.
The Dutchman reportedly promised his former Utrecht protégé that he would bring him to the Premier League this summer when the two were in contact earlier in the summer.
Amarabat already consented to a move to Manchester United in June, but no deal has as yet materialised as United lack the funds to make it happen and sales have proved tougher to achieve than anticipated.
Amrabat is prepared to wait for United to make a late move, according to Romano, but with just a few days left in the transfer window, it appears increasingly unlikely that the Manchester giants will be able to land Ten Hag’s priority midfield target.
Maguire U-turn
Manchester United’s U-turn on the future of erstwhile club captain Harry Maguire is set in stone, barring any massive twists in the final days of the window. With little time to bring in a replacement, the 30-year-old has been informed that a move won’t be sanctioned now, neither permanent nor on loan.
This comes after Maguire spurned the chance to join West Ham, which would have allowed United to bring in a defender more suited to Erik ten Hag’s style like Nice’s Jean-Clair Todibo or Inter-bound Benjamin Pavard.
West Ham ended up signing Konstantinos Mavropanos instead, and although there were recent rumours that a loan exit could still be on the cards for Maguire, those rumours can now officially be laid to rest.
Hojbjerg talks
FootballTransfers can confirm that Man Utd are indeed in talks with Tottenham over a potential deal for Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg, but Spurs’ asking price of £35 million makes a deal unlikely at this stage.
The north London club are willing to offload the Dane late in the window, and his availability has attracted the interest of Man Utd. Spurs, however, are not prepared to give a Premier League rival a discount on the midfielder.
Other tidbits
According to Sky Germany, there is a ‘feeling’ among sources close to the talks that Liverpool could step up their pursuit of Man Utd target Ryan Gravenberch before the transfer deadline.
BILD report that Man Utd outcast Scott McTominay is Thomas Tuchel’s preferred midfield target at Bayern, but Fabrizio Romano claims that this is not the case and that the former Chelsea boss is keen on a reunion with versatile Blues player Trevoh Chalobah.
BILD also reported previously that there is a distinct possibility of a McTominay/Gravenberch swap deal, but it seems highly unlikely that such a transfer could materialise.