Man Utd, Ratcliffe target ‘icing on the cake’ world-class signing as double deal slips from grasp

Sir Jim Ratcliffe’s determination to bring in a new midfielder for Manchester United before the transfer window shuts come produce a major surprise amid claims they have been given significant encouragement over their long-standing interest in signing Frenkie de Jong from Barcelona and amid claims deals for two other targets are on the brink of collapse.

British billionaire Ratcliffe has attacked the summer window with real intent as he looks to catapult Manchester United back among the English – and ultimately – the European elite. And after witnessing a season that saw the club finish in an all-time low of eighth in the Premier League, he has looked to revolutionise Erik ten Hag’s squad with a succession of top-class signings.

To that end, United have already made four additions to the combined tune of around £148m, with Joshua Zirkzee and Leny Yoro – two of European football’s brightest young talents – this week followed up by the double raid on Bayern Munich for Matthijs de Ligt and Noussair Mazraoui.

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However, Ratcliffe and sporting director Dan Ashworth are also determined to bring in a new central midfielder as they look to add fresh legs and ideas to their engine room, and with the Red Devils open to offers for the likes of Christian Eriksen, Scott McTominay and the club’s current top earner, Casemiro.

To that end, their focus for much of the summer has focused on Uruguay destroyer Manuel Ugarte, whom PSG have cleared to leave if their asking price is met.

The Ligue 1 giants have already brought in Joao Neves, making Ugarte surplus to requirements. And with the player having already agreed personal terms with United, hopes were growing that a move would eventually go through.

Man Utd set to miss out on Ugarte as second signing slips away

However, striking a deal with the French champions has proved far from simple, despite the player recently being banished from first-team training by coach Luis Enrique ahead of a prospective transfer.

Sources have confirmed to TEAMtalk that United have had two offers knocked back for the 23-year-old – the second of which was worth €45m (£38.6m) – and with PSG holding out for their full €60m (£51.4m) asking price.

While there remains some disparity in the clubs’ two valuations, hopes had grown in the last few days after his agent, Jorge Mendes, arrived in England to grease the wheels of a number of deals, including that of Ugarte to United.

Those hopes gained further momentum off the back of claims on Thursday morning that Ugarte was ‘in love with notion of signing for Man Utd’ and following a strong update from Fabrizio Romano over a potential swap deal involving Jadon Sancho.

However, that hope has seemingly already been dampened amid suggestions that PSG are refusing to budge on their €60m valuation, while any deal for Sancho would likely be done separately from the Ugarte one, rather than as a straight swap.

With that deal far from certain anyway, Ashworth had been doing his due dilligence on a number of other alternatives with Danilo Oliviera of Nottingham Forest and Burnley’s Sander Berge both emerging as cut-price alternatives.

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Another option the club had been exploring was AS Monaco’s Youssouf Fofana, who has been cleared to leave the Principality club this summer.

The France midfielder has just a year left on his deal and has been the subject of interest from both United and AC Milan. But while the Red Devils have yet to submit an offer, Milan have seen two offers fail.

However, it’s now understood that a third offer has been accepted and is much closer to Monaco’s €35m valuation of the player, who is now ‘one step away’ from securing a move to the San Siro.

Man Utd transfers: Cut-price deal for De Jong back on cards – report

As a result, it remains to be seen what United will do next and, with just over two weeks remaining until the summer window slams shut, time really is of the essence.

We understand that Ratcliffe is simply unwilling to bow to PSG’s €60m demands for Ugarte, feeling the price is too high for a player they clearly want rid of.

And now a fresh update from Spain claims they could instead be offered the chance at signing long-term target De Jong in a cut-price deal from Barcelona.

The Netherlands midfielder was infamously part of a long-drawn out – and ultimately unsuccessful – transfer chase from United two summers ago over Ten Hag’s first few months at the helm.

That failed saga left something of a sour taste, though Ten Hag’s interest in reuniting with his former Ajax charge at Old Trafford has never eased, the deal never really looked like coming off.

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However, Sport now claims Barcelona have made it clear they are keen to offload the 27-year-old this summer, with his wages – estimated to be worth a staggering €475,000 a week (£406,000) – continuing to cause the LaLiga giants a serious problem.

As a result, it’s reported they are looking to palm the midfielder off, and potentially to United, for a cut-price fee of €60m (£51.4m) – the same fee PSG are looking for Ugarte.

And with Teg Hag making it clear that De Jong would be his preference, Sport claims United are ‘sparing no expense’ in a new quest to land De Jong, with his signing described as potentially being ‘the icing on the cake’ for the Red Devils’ summer recruitment drive.

The 54-times capped Netherlands midfielder has been at Barcelona since summer 2019 and has just two years left on his deal.