Man Utd transfers: Kane, De Jong & five stars NOT joining
FT Desk
- Updated: 24 Apr 2022 17:39 BST
- 4 min read
Manchester United disastrous week means they need a biblical miracle in order to qualify for the Champions League next season.
The Red Devils find themselves six points outside of the top four with four games to go, and with fourth placed Arsenal also having a game in hand.
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Man Utd’s likely failure to qualify for the Champions League will now have a knock-on effect on their summer transfer window.
Below are five players who will now be very difficult to sign if they are out of the Champions League.
Harry Kane (Tottenham)
Manchester United’s main priority for the summer is to sign a top-class striker. Cristiano Ronaldo could depart the club himself if they are out of the Champions League but, even if he stays, new manager Erik ten Hag will still buy a natural number 9.
Harry Kane is the club’s favoured option and, while Tottenham will do everything in their power to keep the Englishman, he could leave after being infuriated by the club’s refusal to offload him a year ago.
But Kane will only leave to join a club who are a step up and can challenge for both the Premier League and Champions League. This will not be the case at Man Utd.
Victor Osimhen (Napoli)
It is a similar situation for Napoli star man Victor Osimhen. The Nigerian is arguably the best striker in Serie A along with Juventus attacker Dusan Vlahovic.
Despite a number of injury problems during his two years at Napoli, Osimhen has proven that he is ready to join a big club.
It is no secret that he wants to play in the Premier League and both Arsenal and Man Utd are interested.
However, Gazzetta dello Sport reports that Osimhen will only join a club who are in the Champions League and thus will wait until the end of the season before deciding on his preferred destination.
Robert Lewandowski (Bayern Munich)
Robert Lewandowski’s contract situation at Bayern Munich is fast becoming one of the soap operas of the 2022 summer transfer window.
His contract expires in a year and talks over a renewal have made little progress.
Lewandowski is considering leaving Bayern for one final challenge at a big club, and FootballTransfers understands that Barcelona have made him their top striker target.
Man Utd also reportedly have the 33-year-old on their shortlist and the Premier League is naturally an attractive proposition for any elite footballer.
But Lewandowski will have no interest in playing his final elite years at a club who are out of the Champions League, especially given his aim of winning the Ballon d’Or.
Frenkie de Jong (Barcelona)
Man Utd’s central midfield has been a disaster for a number of years now and they will sign one, perhaps two, top players in this position in the summer.
Frenkie de Jong has been a long-time Man Utd transfer target and he is now the dream target following the appointment of Ten Hag.
Ten Hag played a key role in developing De Jong into such an exciting player at Ajax.
But De Jong is understood to want to play at the very highest level – and won’t settle for Europa League or less. That rules out Man Utd.
Paulo Dybala (Juventus)
Paulo Dybala will leave Juventus at the end of the season on a Bosman Transfer after the club announced that it will not be renewing his deal.
Man Utd are one of a number of clubs who are interested in signing him on a free transfer, together with Inter, Atletico Madrid and Tottenham.
But Man Utd are currently considered the least likely of these teams to sign Dybala. Not only would he prefer to not move to England, he also wants to be playing in the Champions League.
