Manchester United could struggle to offload a fringe player before Friday's deadline
Manchester United manager Erik ten Hag(Image credit: Alamy)
Manchester United’s summer spending is set to approach the £200million mark when they confirm the expected signing of Manuel Ugarte before Friday’s deadline.
Should the deal for the Uruguayan get over the line, he will be the fifth new face in at Old Trafford this summer in what has been something of a rebuilding process following last season’s eighth-place Premier League finish.
But as part of this process, sales are equally important, as trimming the wage bill and ensuring the club meet their PSR commitments is vital for Sir Jim Ratcliffe and company. The likes of Mason Greenwood, Aaron Wan-Bissaka and Willy Kambwala have all been sold this summer, while the likes of Raphael Varane and Antony Martial have been released at the end of their contracts.
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A host of players who look to be surplus to requirements remain however, with time running out before Friday night’s transfer deadline.
With two new centre-backs having arrived this summer, Victor Lindelof is one such player with an uncertain future, but according to reports in Italy, the Red Devils may not be able to move on the Swede this summer, with his high wages putting off two Serie A suitors.
Alfredo Pedulla reports that Lazio were interested in moving for the 30-year-old, who cost Manchester United £29million back in 2017, but he ‘never convinced’ them, with his wages putting them off.
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Manchester United defender Victor Lindelof
This comes after aborted interest from Fiorentina, who wanted the Red Devils to terminate the player’s contract and pay him out, which would have been the only way they could have made a deal work.
Lindelof has a year left on his contract, which is worth £120,000-per-week, according to Capology. Last year he made just 19 Premier League appearances for the club in an injury-hit campaign.
Transfermarkt value Lindelof at €15million, but in FourFourTwo’s opinion, it looks like the club will have a hard time offloading him for that price, now that he has entered the final year of his deal. If a loan move cannot be sorted before Friday’s deadline, the club’s options look to be either cutting their losses and paying him out, or keeping him around for depth.
For more than a decade Joe Mewis has worked in football journalism as a reporter and editor, with stints at Mirror Football and LeedsLive among others. He is the author of four football history books that include times on Leeds United and the England national team.
