Man Utd's three summer transfer targets as Ratcliffe 'manages spend'

Stuart Telford

• 6 Feb 2024 15:18 GMT
• 3 min read

Manchester United are set to target players with expiring contracts under Sir Jim Ratcliffe, with three players rising to the top of their shopping list according to ESPN.

Ratcliffe has been vocal about United's lack of transfer smarts in recent years, taking aim at their €70.7 million acquisition of the then 30-year-old Casemiro from Real Madrid at the start of last season.

The INEOS chief has paid more than £1 billion for a 25 per cent stake in the Red Devils, one which comes with 'sporting control', but he is not prepared to overpay for players once he is in place at Old Trafford.

The club have become famous for their transfer mis-steps in the seasons post Sir Alex Ferguson, with a perceived 'United tax' in operation when the club negotiate for players: ergo, paying above the odds for little return on investment.

But that will come to an end under Ratcliffe, according to ESPN's Rob Dawson.

— Football Transfers (@Transfersdotcom) August 8, 2022

Kimmich, David and Thuram of interest

"It was one of the reasons Mason Mount became such an attractive prospect last summer with United told ahead of negotiations that he would not sign a new deal at Chelsea," he wrote.

And three players have now come into focus for the record English champions.

"United are exploring a number of similar deals ahead of this summer with players such as Joshua Kimmich, Jonathan David and Khephren Thuram all set to be out of contract in 2025."

The report goes on to outline that Kimmich's Bayern Munich Alphonso Davies is also out of contract at the end of next season, but that his preference is a move to Real Madrid.

David and Thuram ply their trades in France with Lille and Nice respectively, the former a striker and the latter a central midfielder.

They are currently valued at €45.3m and €14.8m by FootballTransfers' in-house algorithm, while the €55.4m-rated Kimmich would be the biggest scoop in financial terms - although United face competition for his signature from rivals Manchester City.