Manchester United

Manchester United

Premier League • England

Rio Ferdinand names £230m four-man Man Utd shopping list in dreamland Amorim transfer window

Rio Ferdinand and Ruben Amorim, Man Utd

Rio Ferdinand believes he knows exactly how to fix Manchester United this summer after identifying the perfect four players he thinks they should target to transform their fortunes – but having also named the one big-name star he thinks they will need to sacrifice to help fund that spree.

The Red Devils have stumbled their way through the 2024/25 campaign. While inroads have been made in the Europa League and a quarter-final first-leg this week awaits against Lyon, their form in the Premier League – the true measure of consistency – has been patchy to say the least. Indeed, with just seven games remaining, Manchester United are sitting in 13th and are yet to claim successive wins in the competition all season.

With Amorim failing to get a consistent tune out of his players and struggling to get many of them to adapt to his 3-4-2-1 formation, a major rebuilding program is expected to get underway this summer, with several players signed and many more leaving as a result.

And while Sir Jim Ratcliffe and INEOS will need to keep a close watch on PSR, Ferdinand thinks that signing four players in a new right-back, a midfielder and two forwards, including a new No.10 – will be enough to fix their woes.

Suggesting deals for Jeremie Frimpong, Adam Wharton, Victor Osimhen and Matheus Cunha, to the combined tune of around £230m, Ferdinand began on his Rio Ferdinand Presents YouTube channel. “I agree with Gary Neville that they need five players. I think they need four or five players, but they will be constrained by PSR.

“I want a centre midfielder to play alongside [Manuel] Ugarte, that player needs to be able to take the ball and transfer it through to the Bruno’s and the strikers.

“And you know who I’d go for? Adam Wharton!”

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Man Utd transfers: Ferdinand wants two forwards, including Osimhen

Ferdinand also thinks the signing of a new centre forward will be right at the top of the agenda. And with the club reported to be tracking four options, he is urging the club to go all out and win the race for Victor Osimhen.

“Osimhen. And I know, sorry Napoli and Galatasaray, if I’m Man Utd, Osimhen comes to Man Utd next year, I’m making it happen,” Ferdinand claimed.

Ferdinand does not think one new attacker is enough, and he reckons he’s seen enough from Wolves’ Matheus Cunha to suggest he could thrive alongside Bruno Fernandes as United’s No.10.

“Another one I’d go and buy is Cunha. He’s made it clear that he wants to leave, so I’d go and get Cunha.”

Finally, Ferdinand wants United to sign a new right wing-back, capable of thriving in Amorim’s system and concluded: “You know who else I’d go and get? [Jeremie] Frimpong at right wing back.”

Three of those players – Frimpong, Osimhen and Cunha – all have release clauses in their deals, allowing them to move on this summer. Frimpong’s release at Bayer Leverkusen is set at €40m (£34.4m, $44m); Osimhen can leave Napoli for a fee of around €75m (£64.4m, $82.4m), though there is talk that United could be offered a discount to help secure the powerful striker’s signing.

Furthermore, Ferdinand’s wish could come true with TEAMtalk’s transfer correspondent Rudy Galetti confirming last week they will make the Nigerian their top summer target.

Cunha, meanwhile, recently signed a new deal with Wolves, though he has already confirmed he wants to leave and his exit clause has been fixed at £62.5m (€73m, $80m).

The only difficult negotiation could potentially surround Wharton, who is rated extremely highly by Crystal Palace and could command a fee as high as £70m this summer, making the total outlay worth some £231m.

Galetti, though also confirmed last month that Wharton figures highly on United’s summer wishlist with a bold move to sign him being strongly considered.

To help make room for the new signings, several stars are expected to be moved on, with Ferdinand claiming he thinks Alejandro Garnacho will be one of the first and obvious players to move on, with the winger valued at around the £50m mark.

Man Utd transfer news: 11-player clearout; Cunha contact established

United’s summer kitty, though, could also be boosted if they manage to offload Antony and hopes of his exit have claimed in recent weeks off the back of an impressive loan spell with Real Betis.

Now reports in Spain claim a huge offer has landed on their desk from Atletico Madrid for Antony, with the LaLiga giants’ big package having blown the Brazilian’s loan club, Betis, away.

The flop winger, could, ultimately be one of 11 players the Red Devils look to move on as Amorim cuts a swath through his squad and with £380m worth of signings all set to move on.

On the subject of Cunha, it’s reported that the Brazilian’s agent has already held talks over a prospective move to Old Trafford. That’s after the player confirmed his desire to play at a higher level after feeling he has outgrown the Old Gold, where he has scored 15 times this season.

How a new-look Man Utd XI could look if Rio Ferdinand gets his way

A potential Man Utd lineup next season: Onana; Yoro, De Ligt, Martinez; Frimpong, Ugarte, Wharton, Dorgu; Fernandes, Cunha; Osimhen
How Man Utd’s lineup might look next season in Ferdinand’s eyes