Coming live from Fabrizio Romano, HERE WE GO. In accordance with the terms agreed upon, Manchester United has agreed to pay a transfer price of forty million pounds to acquire a player following Ugarte acquisition. The report from Fabrizio Romano suggests that these negotiations are now in the end stage and the signing will be done before night fall today 🙀
After Manchester United secures the signing of Manuel Ugarte, the club will have successfully captured most of their key summer transfer targets. Ugarte has been long regarded as the perfect replacement for Casemiro, and with his addition, Manchester United can be pleased with their performance in this transfer window.
Nevertheless, there might still be room for one more major signing before the window closes. A report from The Standard indicates that Manchester United has initiated discussions to acquire Brentford striker Ivan Toney.
Toney is keen on making a high-profile move before the transfer deadline, and he’s also in talks with Chelsea, his preferred destination. Despite this, Manchester United has begun preliminary negotiations with Brentford, aiming to convince Toney to join them instead.
These talks are reportedly in the early stages. Brentford is hoping Manchester United will present a significant offer, potentially igniting a bidding war with Chelsea for Toney’s services. The club has set an asking price of around £40 million for the striker this summer.
Initially, Brentford had been demanding as much as £100 million for Toney. However, with his contract set to expire in less than a year, they are now willing to accept half of that amount to avoid losing him on a free transfer next summer.
Brentford manager Thomas Frank has omitted the 28-year-old penalty specialist from his squad for two consecutive Premier League matches, indicating the club is likely preparing for his departure.
Currently, Chelsea seems to be the only club in advanced negotiations, but the situation could change quickly if Manchester United decides to intensify their interest.
Although Ivan Toney could be a valuable asset to Manchester United, the club already has other options for the striker position, including Rasmus Hojlund and Joshua Zirkzee.
While Zirkzee is adaptable and can play in various roles, spending £40 million on Toney after an already costly transfer window may not be the wisest choice.
Thus far, Manchester United’s Director of Football, Dan Ashworth, has made smart decisions in the transfer market.
There’s no reason to question his judgment now. The next few hours will reveal whether the Red Devils will make a serious move for Toney or choose to refrain from further spending this summer.