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Manchester United are preparing to face Chelsea in the Premier League on Thursday (May 25) at Old Trafford. Erik ten Hag’s team are coming off a 1-0 win over Bournemouth at the weekend.
Meanwhile, the Red Devils are the frontrunners for Napoli defender Kim Min-jae. Elsewhere, the Premier League giants could sign on-loan Bayern Munich midfielder Marcel Sabitzer for £22 million this summer.
On that note, here's a look at the key Manchester United transfer stories as on May 23, 2023:
Manchester United frontrunners for Kim Min-jae
Transfer insider Ben Jacobs has termed Manchester United as the frontrunners for Kim Min-jae.
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The South Korean defender has been a revelation for Napoli this season and is a target for Ten Hag ahead of the summer. The 26-year-old has helped the Italian side lift the Serie A this campaign.
In his column for Caught Offside, Jacobs said that the Red Devils are huge admirers of Kim.
“Manchester United are huge admirers of Napoli’s Kim Min-jae. They have been scouting him for much of the season and exploring a deal since the World Cup break. But this one is not a done deal yet, and Kim has been pretty vocal shouting down speculation of a Premier League move, albeit before Napoli won the Scudetto. I would term the transfer a realistic possibility,” wrote Jacobs.
He continued:
“Spurs and Liverpool have looked at Kim as well. Kim also turns 27 in November and will want to ensure if he moves he’ll start regularly. That’s the only issue for Manchester United. Lisandro Martinez and Raphael Varane, if fit, could still be hard to displace. But Kim’s form is so strong that he’ll fancy his chances. He’s known as ‘The Monster’ for a reason.”
Jacobs said that the Premier League giants are yet to agree a deal for Kim but added that they are the favourites for his services.
“Kim has a release clause of €50 million, but it’s only active between 1-15 July. That price is reasonable, albeit clubs will likely want to negotiate a different payment structure. Manchester United would love to move quickly and agree something before the clause is active to stop anyone else triggering it. But, as of now, nothing is done, even though it is probably fair to term Manchester United frontrunners,” wrote Jacobs.
Ten Hag will look to contend for the Premier League next season, so Kim’s proposed arrival could be a huge boost to his quest.
Marcel Sabitzer set to cost £22 million
Manchester United could secure the services of Marcel Sabitzer for £22 million, according to The Daily Mail.
The Austrian midfielder joined the club on a six-month loan from Bayern Munich in January and has done well. The 29-year-old has three goals and one assist in 18 games across competitions before a knee injury ended his involvement this season.
Sabitzer is set to return to the Bavarians but is unlikely to stay beyond the summer at the Allianz Arena. Thomas Tuchel doesn’t consider him as part of his plans for next season, so the Bundesliga side are ready to let the player leave.
The Red Devils are expected to be in the market for a new midfielder this summer, and Ten Hag could be tempted to consider Sabitzer.
Garth Crooks labels Casemiro as ‘signing of the season’
Journalist Garth Crooks reckons Casemiro has been as important to Manchester United as Ten Hag this season.
The Brazilian midfielder arrived at Old Trafford from Real Madrid last summer and has hit the ground running. His performance - and spectacular winner - against Bournemouth earned him a place in Crooks’ team of the week.
Writing for BBC, the journalist was full of praise for the 31-year-old.
“Casemiro's arrival at Old Trafford has almost been as important as Ten Hag's. The Brazil midfielder's presence in the team, not to mention his performances, have transformed Manchester United's season. I thought his arrival at Old Trafford was no more than a nice finale to a magnificent career,” wrote Crooks.
He continued:
“That couldn't have been further from the truth. The player puts himself on the line for the team and is a leader. He might not be the player of the season, but for me he is without doubt the signing of the season.”
Casemiro has 48 appearances across competitions this season for the Red Devils, scoring six goals and setting up as many.
