A report has claimed that Manchester United already have an offer on the table to sign a new defender this summer.
Man Utd transfer rumours
The Red Devils, with sporting decisions now down to Sir Jim Ratcliffe and INEOS, are gearing up for what could be a busy off-season.
One of the toughest calls Ratcliffe may need to make is on manager Erik ten Hag, whereas Omar Berrada is the new CEO, and he could soon be joined by both Dan Ashworth and Jason Wilcox behind the scenes.
Their focus could be on new signings, although Ratcliffe has hinted that the club may not splash the cash. For example, when asked about the possibility of signing either Jude Bellingham or Kylian Mbappe, he said:
“He’s a great footballer (Bellingham) but it’s not where our focus is. The solution isn’t spending a lot of money on a couple of great players. They’ve done that, if you look at the last 10 years. The first thing we need to do is get the right people in the right boxes, managing and organising the club. We must make sure we get recruitment right, such a vital part of running a football club is getting recruitment right, finding new players.”
On the idea of bringing in Mbappe, Ratcliffe then added: “I’d rather find the next Mbappe, rather than spend a fortune to buy success. It’s not that clever to buy Mbappe, anybody could figure that one out.”
A number of players have been linked with moves to Old Trafford in recent weeks, though. Benfica midfielder Joao Neves could be a rare big-money signing of the Ratcliffe era, whereas talks are being held for OGC Nice left-back Melvin Bard.
Port Vale’s teenage attacker Baylee Dipepa could be a star of the future that Ratcliffe and United find, however, a new target that has now emerged is a more experienced option.
Man Utd make Giovanni Di Lorenzo offer
According to reports from Italy, relayed by Man Utd News in the last 48 hours, the Red Devils have been linked with a move for Napoli captain Giovanni Di Lorenzo.
In fact, it is claimed that Man Utd have already contacted Di Lorenzo’s camp and that an offer is on the table, with Premier League rivals Aston Villa doing the same.
Di Lorenzo has spent his entire career in Italy and has been with Napoli since 2019. Under contract until 2028, he is primarily a right-back but can also play as a centre-back or as a right-midfielder.
He could therefore provide plenty of versatility in Manchester, and he’s also been a player who former manager Carlo Ancelotti has previously called “reliable”.
“Off the ball, Di Lorenzo becomes a right-back with a line of four. I must say Di Lorenzo is a great surprise for me. He is extremely reliable wherever you put him and he is a player you don’t need to explain too much to, he just gets it.”
The Italy international has made more than 200 appearances for Napoli and won the European Championships with his country and the Serie A with his club last year, so he may also have the winning mentality that is required to succeed at Old Trafford.