Manchester United are working to improve their squad after finishing third in the Premier League last season under Erik ten Hag. The Dutch manager also won the EFL Cup last campaign and will be setting higher targets next.
Meanwhile, Fiorentina midfielder Sofyan Amrabat is ready to wait for the Red Devils. Elsewhere, Real Sociedad are interested in United midfielder Donny van de Beek.
On that note, here's a look at the key Manchester United transfer stories as on August 6, 2023:
Sofyan Amrabat ready to wait for Manchester United
Sofyan Amrabat is willing to wait for Manchester United this summer, according to journalist Ben Jacobs.
The Moroccan midfielder is a target for the Red Devils, who need to offload players before they can sanction a move. The 26-year-old is not short of options at the moment, and there’s a worry that he could reach an agreement with another suitor.
Fiorentina are eager to cash in on him before the end of the window. Jacobs told Give Me Sport that Amrabat is a priority for the Premier League giants this summer.
“He’s a concrete option, for sure, and Sofyan Amrabat is aware of that which means, despite other interests, he might be prepared to wait for Manchester United.
"And that’s kind of the beauty of this time in the window as well that if you ask a player to wait, because the window shuts in less than a month, you’re not asking them to wait for three months. You’re asking them to wait for two weeks, three weeks at a maximum,” said Jacobs.
He continued:
“So players are, when they have options, prepared to be a little bit more patient at this time of the window because they know that waiting is not going to be a drawn-out saga.
"It's only going to be the difference between doing something now and deciding their future now, or obviously waiting a few weeks.”
Manchester United are expected to offload multiple players to streamline their squad and raise funds for more additions.
Real Sociedad want Donny van de Beek
Real Sociedad are eager to sign Donny van de Beek on a loan deal with an option to buy, according to transfer expert Fabrizio Romano.
The Dutch midfielder is a peripheral figure at Old Trafford and failed to impress Ten Hag last season. Manchester United are ready to move him on this summer and are locked in talks with Sociedad regarding a deal.
In his column for Caught Offside, Romano added that negotiations haven’t reached a breakthrough yet but said that an outcome is expected in the coming days.
“For the upcoming week, a player I’d recommend keeping an eye on is Man United’s Donny van de Beek. Real Sociedad are insisting on bringing the midfielder to San Sebastian as part of a loan deal with an option-to-buy clause. There is no agreement yet with Man United, but negotiations are ongoing,” wrote Romano.
He continued:
“Donny wants to try a new experience because he needs to play regularly with the 2024 EUROS happening next summer. I think the Real Sociedad deal will be 'make or break' over the next 7/10 days.”
Mason Mount’s arrival from Chelsea has all but ended Van de Beek’s tenure at Old Trafford.
Mason Mount will prove his critics wrong, says Danny Murphy
Former Liverpool midfielder Danny Murphy reckons Mason Mount will prove his worth at Manchester United.
The English midfielder has had a mixed start to life at Old Trafford, struggling to hit top gear in pre-season. The move has failed to convince all Red Devils fans, while his performances have been overly scrutinized.
However, Murphy told The Daily Mail that Mount will win over his critics very soon.
“It’s amazing how many people have already written him off. I speak to lots of people in football, and they all have the same opinion: Mason Mount is a super player who has had one bad season – and that came in Chelsea’s most traumatic campaign in years,” said Murphy.
He continued:
“United fans will not realise what a player they have until they see him in action. He was player of the year for two seasons in a row at Chelsea in a team full of superstars.
"Every manager at the club played him. Those Chelsea fans who were happy to see him go and the United fans who were non-plussed by his arrival will be changing their opinion very quickly.”
The Englishman has been handed the coveted No. 7 shirt at Old Trafford.