England players asking about Man Utd again, directors claim

James Shearman

• Updated: 19 May 2021 11:06 BST
• 2 min read

Interest in joining Manchester United is on the up ahead of the summer transfer window, with a number of players having asked what life at the club is like during international breaks.

That is according to football director John Murtough and technical director Darren Fletcher, who made the comments at a recent fans’ forum.

The Manchester Evening News recently reported that West Ham midfielder Declan Rice spoke to United defenders Harry Maguire and Luke Shaw about that very topic last month.

And this has been confirmed in minutes from a fan forum, which read: “Darren noted that they had heard that from players going away with England [and] other national teams that people have started to ask questions about Manchester United again.”

Rice and Kane to United?

Manchester United have long held an interest in Tottenham talisman Harry Kane, who is reportedly considering a move away from the club in search of silverware this summer.

With his contract running until 2024, Kane would command an exceptional fee, but his desire to push through a move away could prove crucial.

As for Rice, he has a further three seasons to run on his contract with West Ham, who are sure to be reluctant to sell their prize asset.

But with the Hammers’ push for Champions League qualification having wobbled of late, a move to Old Trafford could appear even more attractive.

On recruitment, Murtough added: “The recruitment department need to focus on bringing in players for tomorrow, those who have potential and for today, those who are ready to play for the first team now.

“The scouting team work closely with Ole to produce options for consideration based on the type of profile which Ole feels that the team needs. Ole has a veto, because as a club we will not sign a player that a manager doesn’t want.

“The club has always backed its manager in the transfer market. It’s evident from what’s gone on over the last two or three seasons that there has been a structured and disciplined approach to player recruitment.

“The transfer market will be challenging in the next 12 months but when the right players are available, which fit our profile, for the right values, will be in and around those opportunities as and when they arise.”