Sir Jim Ratcliffe’s five new rules for Manchester United could scupper more than one summer transfer target at Old Trafford.
The winds of change are sweeping through Man Utd this summer, which will be the first full transfer window in which minority owner Ratcliffe has had his feet under his desk.
The INEOS chief, once the UK’s richest man, has come armed with a list of changes for the club going forward, namely:
1. An age limit of 25 for new signings.
2. No Galacticos.
3. Style of play to be set by technical director Jason Wilcox.
4. Manager to be asked what position he wants to sign, not what player.
5. INEOS to send a list of three signings per position for manager to choose from.
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Whilst finding the next Kylian Mbappe rather than buying the original at top dollar is shrewd, at least on initial inspection, some of the rues could leave United, and their next manager, hamstrung.
No Man Utd move for Frenkie?
Frenkie de Jong has long been the club’s top transfer target, and the need for a top quality defensive midfielder has been exacerbated by Casemiro’s decline this season. Barcelona also have a €552 million debt to clear.
But the Dutchman is 27, so two years above Ratcliffe’s first rule, and the new boss is unlikely to sanction a move for a player valued at €48.5m by FootballTransfers’ in-house algorithm.
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De Jong is an Erik ten Hag favourite, although admiration for the player goes beyond his fellow Dutchman at Old Trafford, and a successor might like to sign him too.
But if that successor is Thomas Tuchel – who has emerged as the frontrunner for the position after leaving Bayern Munich – points 3, 4 and 5 is likely to be sticking points.
Tuchel wants to dictate his own style of play. He fell out with the Borussia Dortmund hierarchy over a lack of control over transfers, and the chances of Chelsea’s 2021 Champions League-winning coach dancing to Wilcox’s tune would appear to be slim.
