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Manchester United are preparing for their game against Wolverhampton Wanderers on Saturday (May 13) in the Premier League. Erik ten Hag’s team desperately need a win to stay on course for a top-four finish.
Meanwhile, the Red Devils are ready to break the bank for Benfica striker Goncalo Ramos. Elsewhere, Wout Weghorst is unlikely to stay at Old Trafford beyond the summer.
On that note, here's a look at the key Manchester United transfer stories as on May 9, 2023:
Manchester United eyeing Goncalo Ramos
Manchester United have set their sights on Goncalo Ramos, according to The Mirror.
Erik ten Hag is desperate to bring in a new No. 9 this summer, and Harry Kane is his preferred target for the position. The English striker enters the final year of his contract this summer but is unlikely to sign a new deal with Tottenham Hotspur.
The Red Devils are ready to bring him to Old Trafford but also have eyes on other targets. Ramos has identified as an option in addition to Kane. The Portuguese striker has exploded into the scene at Benfica this season, scoring 25 goals and setting up 11 in 44 games across competitions.
His efforts have earned him admirers at Manchester United, who're willing to offer the Portuguese side £70-100 million for his services.
Wout Weghorst unlikely to stay
Transfer insider Dean Jones reckons Wout Weghorst will be allowed to leave Manchester United this summer.
The Dutch forward joined Erik ten Hag’s squad in January on a six-month loan deal but has endured a mixed time. He has shown great determination and work ethic on the pitch, but his finishing has left a lot to be desired.
The Red Devils do not have the option to sign him permanently at the end of the season. With a new striker imminent this summer, Weghorst might on longer be needed at the club.
Speaking to Give Me Sport, Jones said that Manchester United are likely to keep Anthony Martial as a backup striker instead of Weghorst.
“Martial and Weghorst, in my eyes, have been the backup forwards. So the decision now is, do you keep one of those guys now as the backup?” said Jones.
He continued:
"Obviously, Martial is the one you would go for right now, because he's a United player, and Weghorst isn't. But there is not really going to be any need for both. So, it's unlikely that Weghorst has a future, and for Martial, it's going to be more a case of being that squad player as and when that new centre-forward arrives.”
Weghorst has appeared 27 times across competitions for the Red Devils this season, registering two goals and three assists.
Red Devils unlikely to prioritise David de Gea replacement, says Ally McCoist
Former Rangers striker Ally McCoist reckons Manchester United are unlikely to prioritise signing a replacement for David de Gea this summer.
The Spanish goalkeeper has committed four errors leading to goal this season, raising further doubts about his place in Erik ten Hag’s team next season. The 32-year-old’s contract with the Red Devils runs out at the end of this season, but he's yet to sign a new deal.
Speaking to talkSPORT, McCoist said that Manchester United need to focus on other areas of the pitch this summer.
“I think they probably need to change their goalie, but I don’t think it’s a priority. I think the way Manchester United have looked in recent weeks, it looks as if they’re in a false position. I would actually think they’ve gone from being a team that’s almost certainly within the top four. Now a real question mark against it to be brutally honest with you, on recent performances,” said
He added:
“In an ideal world, if you could change your goalie and get a better goalie, I think that would be a good thing, but I think they’ve got bigger problems. Midfield and that, you’re looking at them the past few weeks, dear me, they’ve been all over the place.”
De Gea is expected to take a pay cut in his new contract with the Red Devils.
