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Analysis
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Five players Man Utd FAILED to sign this summer's transfer window
Cameron Smith
- Updated: 5 Sep 2025 05:23 CDT
- 4 min read
News
Manchester United went into the 2025 summer transfer window with a reportedly limited budget, but they still spent a whopping $293 million on five new signings.
Ruben Amorim was heavily backed in the market following a dismal 2024-25 campaign, although the Red Devils still managed to miss out on a plethora of key transfer targets.
Below, FootballTransfers runs through five players Man Utd failed to sign this summer.
Viktor Gyokeres (Sporting CP)
Viktor Gyokeres was identified as Man Utd’s top striker target ahead of the summer window, with Amorim eager to secure a reunion with his former Sporting CP pupil.
However, the Sweden superstar wasn’t interested in completing an Old Trafford transfer following their failure to qualify for Europe, and he pushed to join Arsenal instead.
After his transfer to Mikel Arteta’s side was confirmed, Man Utd opted to bring Benjamin Sesko to the club for an initial fee of $89.4m.
Carlos Baleba (Brighton & Hove Albion)
Signing a central midfielder was a top priority for Man Utd this summer, but they were ultimately unable to bolster Amorim’s options in the middle of the park.
Brighton & Hove Albion star Carlos Baleba was earmarked as a primary option by the Man Utd hierarchy and they lodged an official approach to sign the 21-year-old.
However, Brighton were reluctant to sell and Man Utd were unwilling to pay a fee in excess of $134 for the Cameroon international. A deal therefore failed to materialise.
Liam Delap (Ipswich Town)
Although Gyokeres was Man Utd’s primary target for the striker position, the club were also heavily interested in signing Liam Delap following his impressive debut season at Ipswich Town.
The Englishman notched 12 goals in 40 games for Kieran McKenna’s side and Man Utd were in active talks over a deal during the temporary June transfer window.
But, Delap opted to join Chelsea for $41.5m instead and Man Utd were left empty-handed.
Gianluigi Donnarumma (Paris Saint-Germain)
Man Utd completed the signing of Royal Antwerp goalkeeper Senne Lammens for $25m on Transfer Deadline Day as the club finally secured a possible replacement for Andre Onana.
PSG star Gianluigi Donnarumma was a key target too, but the Red Devils missed out on his signature to arch-rivals Manchester City after he was cast aside by Luis Enrique at the Parc des Princes.
Emiliano Martinez was also on Man Utd’s radar, although they opted against signing the Argentina international in favour of bringing Lammens to Old Trafford.
Morten Hjulmand (Sporting CP)
In addition to the aforementioned Baleba, Man Utd also sounded out Morten Hjulmand as a potential midfield acquisition this summer.
He worked with Amorim at Sporting CP and he was viewed as an ideal candidate to feature alongside Bruno Fernandes in a double pivot for the Red Devils.
But, Sporting reportedly refused to sanction a sale for a fee of less than his $93m release clause and Man Utd were unable to finalise a deal for the Denmark midfielder.
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