Despite showing progress last season and reaching the final of both domestic cups, winning the Carabao Cup, Manchester United seem to be falling behind the other top teams due to their lack of activity in the transfer market. With teams becoming increasingly competitive, and the likes of Manchester City, Arsenal, Chelsea, Spurs, and Newcastle already making notable signings, United could find themselves struggling to secure a European spot in the 23/24 season. Rumors are circulating that Erik Ten Hag will only have a budget of around £100m, unless the club is able to sell players. This could be a concerning time for Manchester United fans.
Despite the limited budget, Ten Hag has stated that he would like the club to bring in a midfielder, striker, and goalkeeper before the end of the window. As a result, the club is now preparing a mass exodus to try and generate funds for any potential incomings, having named their price for:
Harry Maguire: £40 million
Scott McTominay: £40 million
Anthony Martial: £25 million
Fred: £20 million
Anthony Elanga: £20 million
Van de Beek: £20 million
Dean Henderson: £20 million
Despite the financial issues, United have managed to secure Chelsea midfielder Mason Mount for £60m and are in talks with Inter Milan for their goalkeeper Andre Onana. With one signing already confirmed for midfield reinforcement, United fans now wait for the Andre Onana deal to go through to fill the void in the goalkeeper position, with many United fans and pundits calling for David de Gea to leave the club.
United have also been linked with strikers Harry Kane and Rasmus Hojllund. Talks over Onana seem to be going more successfully as his representatives have met with United club officials to discuss a potential £50 million move.
We look at three alternatives with cheaper price tags that would slot into Manchester United's XI and not leave as much of a dent in the club's finances:
Goalkeeper – David Raya (£40 million): Brentford keeper David Raya has made no secret of his desire to play European football. The 27-year-old Spain international was in excellent form last season and made the second-most saves in Europe's top seven leagues, with 154 shots stopped. Despite David De Gea being renowned for his shot-stopping ability, he lacks the distribution required to thrive in an Erik Ten Hag team, and David Raya has shown that he is very comfortable with the ball at his feet. With Brentford having already signed a replacement for Raya in Mark Flekken, United could even negotiate a price lower than the £40m previously stated by Brentford.
Midfielder – Gabriel Veiga (£34 million release clause): Celta Vigo starlet Gabriel Veiga announced himself to the world in the 22/23 season with a fine performance, scoring 11 goals and providing 4 assists while playing as a box-to-box midfielder. The 21-year-old would be a fantastic candidate to play alongside Casemiro at the heart of Manchester United's midfield, with his ability to carry the ball forward and play incisive passes, along with his athleticism, making him a great potential target for Erik Ten Hag. If Manchester United wants Veiga, they must move quickly as Chelsea, Manchester City, and Liverpool have all shown interest in the Spain U21 international.
Striker – Jonathan David (£43 million):
Lille's 23-year-old talisman Jonathan David had a stellar 22/23 campaign, scoring 26 goals and providing 4 assists in all competitions for the French side. David has expressed his desire to play in the Premier League, and it is only a matter of time before he secures a move to a big club. Lille has put a £43m price tag on the Canadian, which would be an absolute bargain for a striker who has scored 45 goals over the previous two seasons.
With a small budget should Manchester United explore other options or should they force players out the club to generate and free up more budget ?