2022-23 Summer Transfer Information Part.2:United’s 4 targets　

Hi I’m Masa United.

On June 10, the summer transfer market for the 22-23 season kicked off (Premierleague). Following a poor performance in the 21-22 season, United have a lot of reinforcement points. In response to the demands of the new coach Ten Hag, the front will accelerate its movements. For United’s transfer strategy for this summer, please refer to Part.1.

2022-23 Summer Transfer Information Part.1:United's transfer strategy and 3 targets

The summer transfer market for the 22-23 season has finally begun! Here's United's transfer strategy and the three players who are our top targets to acquire! Is there any actual gain in this!?

manchesterutddaigaku.com

2022.06.07

Following on from Part 1, we will introduce four of United’s acquisition targets.For this four players, we chose players who are relatively well reported. We’ve rounded up the departure status of these players, their style of play and the possibility of a move to United!

Here’s today’s table of contents

(1) Pau Torres

United’s interest in Villarreal’s CB Pau Torres has been present since last season’s transfer market. In the end, Torres chose to continue playing for Villarreal, and United took the lead in acquiring Varane. Pau Torres, who was instrumental in reaching the Champions League quarter-finals in the 21-22 season, is once again a target for United in the 22-23 season. The reason behind this is that Torres’ termination clause will be invoked this summer. The current contract runs until 2024 and Villarreal are said to have set a buyout amount of €50 million ~ €60 million. For manager Ten Hague, who is looking for CB to contribute in the build-up, Torres, who is left-handed and has good passing accuracy, is ideal.

In the 21-22 season, Pau Torres played 47 official matches and scored 6 goals and 1 assist. I think Torres is a very versatile centre-back. He has shown high numbers such as passing to the final third (second on the team with 172 runs), dribbling (8,768 yards, first on the team), interceptions (2nd on the team with 73 times), and scoring ability from set pieces. Torres has scored six goals in all competitions this season, four of them from the corners. The two goals came from headers, but the other two were scored with his feet inside the box. He has the ability to run in and find spots when attacking from set pieces. And I get the impression that his passing and dribbling contributions during possession are exactly what Ten Hag is looking for.

Torres is seen as the leading candidate for CB, but in reality the press may have been well ahead of the curve. He’s interested, he’s the type of guy Ten Hag wants, but he’s a Villarreal kid and if he leaves the club, he’ll stick to qualifying for the CL. Villarreal are seventh in La Liga and will move into the conference league, but they appear to have offered Torres a contract extension. Even if I were to leave my beloved Villarreal, I don’t think I would choose United now that they don’t have CL rights and the team is in a bad situation. United may have made an inquiry, but I don’t feel like they’re taking it seriously. It’s no coincidence that in June, there have been reports of left-handed CBs linked to United on a daily basis, including Sven Botman(Lille), Joschko Gvardior(Leipzig) and Alessandro Bastoni(Inter). I think the left-handed CB target has been reset once. Torres is linked to Spurs (they also made an offer last summer and agreed between the clubs). If he joins Spurs, it will be a transfer that seems to symbolize United’s current situation…

(2) Ruben Neves

Neves are also one of the players linked to United whenever the transfer market opens. It was reported quite frequently in the summer transfer market last season, and many United supporters, including myself, welcomed the addition of Neves. In the end, however, there was no reinforcement of the defensive midfielder, and the coverage of Neves dwindled. The 22-23 transfer also has Neves’ name on the line, but it doesn’t have the same momentum as last season. Despite the need for a definite defensive midfielder this season… Are. With Wolves under contract until 2024, Neves could be put up for sale depending on the offer. At 25 years of age, he will have to make a crucial choice between extending his contract with Wolves and continuing to be king at a mid-level club or stepping up to a bigger club. According to recent reports, Wolves have a £70 million price tag and are said to be securing Sporting’s João Pariña as a replacement. In addition to United, Arsenal, Roma and Barcelona also appear to be interested in the Neves.

In the 21-22 season, he scored 4 goals and 2 assists in 36 official matches. Perhaps the biggest feature of the Neves is the game control in passes. His Premier League pass count ranks second on the team with 1,925 and his distance is 38,841 yards, which ranks first in distance. His 196 passes to the final third place are team-leading and ninth in the Premierleague Overall. It has a very wide field of view and high pass accuracy for short, medium and long distances. The scattering of the flanks and the occasional sharp wedge are very effective in advancing the team’s attack. During his time in Porto, he wore the captain’s mark at the age of just 18, and he has excellent leadership and captaincy. Neves is also the team’s third best tackle (67), third on the team in interceptions (61), and second on the team in press time (541), and his defensive contributions are also a hallmark.

There is no doubt that he is a talent who you want when you look at his achievements in the Premierleague and the quality of his play. Personally, I’m a Neves fan and I think his game-making on passes, his occasional midfield and his ability to detect danger can well cover dangerous spaces will work well for United. However, it is quite doubtful that director Ten Hag is interested… United’s front office seems to appreciate Neves, but Wolves’ €70 million is still too high. For United, who have a limited budget, the top target in midfield is Frankie de Jong. We need defensive midfielders, but we can’t afford to spend £150 million with two midfielders. If we are going to move to get Neves, I think it will be when we fail to get Frankie.

(3) Antony

With the appointment of Ten Hag, Ajax right-winger Antony was linked with reports of a move to United. In April, it was reported that he was on the Ten Hag acquisition list, and in May Antony himself was hoping for a move to step up, with a destination set to be Liverpool or United. It was reported. Later, as United began to focus on acquiring Núñez, Antony’s reports subsided. In the first place, there was a need to reinforce the striker more than the winger, so it seemed that the acquisition of Antony was gone. However, the addition of Antony, who knows Ten Hag tactics very well, is attractive to United, who have been short of scoring in the second half of the 21-22 season. Now that the yellow light has been lit for the acquisition of Núñez (Núñez is heavily linked with a move to Liverpool), reports of Antony’s transfer are coming out again. It is said that it will take between 50 million € and 60 million € to acquire Antony.

In the 21-22 season, Antony scored 12 goals and 10 assists in 33 official matches. Antony, who has a very good ball technique, is a player who is adept at dribbling and running at the side-back. He is also good at left-footed crosses, finishing third on the team with 1.35 crosses per 90 minutes. His cut-in shots were also accurate, and Shots-on-Target had 27, third on the team. Antony played two seasons at Ajax and is commendable for his close to 10 goals and assists in both seasons. Antony has a good dribbling technique, but he doesn’t rely on it, he has the cleverness to make good use of his teammates’ movements and connect them to crosses and shots, which he is good at. I don’t know if it’s his natural talent or the result of coach Ten Hag’s guidance, but he’s a player I’m looking forward to in the future.

Honestly, the wingers are a low priority as reinforcement points, and depending on how far they incorporate the academy groups of Amado and Perristoli, Garnacho and Hannibal into the top team, there is too much surplus. However, in terms of quality, it is also true that we do not have absolute confidence in Elanga, who has settled in the right wing, or Rashford, who has fallen into a slump. The left-handed right-winger may also be able to revitalize United’s right wing as he has more options for play, including crosses and shots from cut-ins. Interest in Antony has subsided for a while, but with Núñez’s move to Liverpool seen as a certainty, Antony’s rumours are heating up. On June 9, there were reports that Antony’s agent would fly to England and United are said to have made an offer of €45 million to Ajax. Ajax should want to sell at a higher price, and it depends on future negotiations, but the first reinforcement may be Antony.

(4) Christopher Nkunku

I have been interested in Nkunku since I was interim director of Rangnick. The attacker, who has 20 goals and 14 assists in 33 Bundesliga games this season, is understandably in the spotlight and is well known to have been approached by Rangnick, who has close ties to Red Bull. Initially, Rangnick was a favourite of Rangnick, who remained at United as a consultant for the 22-23 season and was thought to be deeply involved in the reinforcement strategy, and it was reported that Ten Hag was also appreciating him. However, since Rangnick left the club, the frequency of coverage has declined. As for the attacker, there has been a lot of coverage of interest in Núñez, and Nkunku seems to be off the list. Leipzig also have a place in the CL and are reluctant to release Nkunku, the nucleus of the team. The transfer fee was set at 100 million €. They are showing a stance of total resistance. It was also reported that United had the idea of acquiring Nkunku around the end of May and leaving him at Leipzig on a season loan so that he could join United from the 23-24 season.

In the 21-22 season, Nkunku played a lot in the second top and left and right wings, but he has excellent numbers with 35 goals and 19 assists in 50 official matches. With 20 goals in a tie for fourth in the Bundesliga and a tie for second in the assists rankings (13 assists), Nkunku was very often involved in scoring last season. SCA also finished third in the Bundesliga with 134 attempts. He also has a team-leading 60 successful dribbling attempts. Nkunku is a player with a lot of attacking sense. His multi-talented talent in the attacking third is one of the best in the world. His dribbling mechanics, speed, jumping out to the back, accuracy of his kicks that can aim for a goal in the middle and on the flanks, accuracy of situational judgment and quality of crosses using his teammates are all excellent. Sadio Mane is often likened, but Nkunku, who transformed from a chance-maker to a striker in the 21-22 season, is definitely getting closer to Mane’s territory.

Nkunku has a multi-talent for attack. In addition to United, Liverpool, Chelsea and Milan are also reported to be looking to acquire him. Nkunku, who can play in all positions up front, has the potential to be a big force for United. However, now that Rangnick has left and his relationship with the Red Bull Group is gone, acquisition is a lower priority. In the first place, the amount close to 100 million € is nonsense, and it is likely that it will be wasted to spend time negotiating here. It’s a different story if he has the intention to transfer, but I have the impression that Nkunku is a serious and down-to-earth young man in character. You have a contract until 2024 and you’re probably not the type to rebel against a club you don’t want to sell. At least I don’t think we’re going to get Nkunku this summer. However, there is no denying that it is a talent that I would like to acquire by all means (lol).

👿 Conclusion

How was it?

We’ve introduced four players who have been in the news this time, but all of them are high-profile and top-level talent, which is a high hurdle for United this season. The fact that the club’s attractiveness has declined and that it does not qualify for the CL is a more important transfer factor than we supporters realize.

Of these four players, Antony has the best chance of winning. Looking at the relationship with Ten Hag as well as the relationship with Ajax, where van der Saar is CEO, there is a high possibility that things will go smoothly if negotiations are to be conducted. Reinforcement of wingers is not a high priority, but with Nuñez missing out and no other notable striker on the market, I think Rashford will be used in the No. 9 position if Antony is acquired.

As of June 10 as of this writing, United appear to be working hard to acquire Frenkie, but an agreement with Barça is likely to take some time. Depending on the situation, he may be serious about acquiring Antony first.And the acquisition of Antony may also have something to do with Greenwood’s treatment… Let’s keep an eye on it in the future.

Thank you for reading until the end!