Manchester United are interested in veteran midfielders Hakan Calhanoglu and Fabian Ruiz, according to reports in Italy and France.
The Red Devils are in need of midfield reinforcements after releasing Christian Eriksen, and it seems that they are increasingly willing to deviate from their transfer policy of primarily signing young players.
This is also illustrated by the fact that Man Utd have held talks with Aston Villa for striker Ollie Watkins, with Ruben Amorim increasingly eyeing players who can make an instant impact to avoid another disastrous campaign like 2024/25, by far the worst in the club’s Premier League history.
However, PSG want to keep the Spain international, so it may require a sizeable fee to prise him away from Paris, which is something Man Utd are unlikely to be able to afford unless they make some high-profile sales. Ruiz still has two years to run on his contract.
Calhanoglu facing explosive Inter exit
Calhanoglu, meanwhile, finds himself in the eye of the storm at Inter due to his apparent desire to leave the club. This has been a common theme throughout his career, with the Turkey international previously sparking controversy when he left Hamburg and AC Milan.
Calhanoglu has been in talks with Galatasaray and was not present for Inter’s embarrassing Club World Cup defeat to Fluminense, after which teammate Lautaro Martinez thundered: “Anyone who wants to stay with us should stay, anyone who doesn’t want to stay should go.”
This message was amplified by club chief Giuseppe Marotta, who revealed that Lautaro was specifically addressing Calhanoglu. “I reckon he meant him [Calhanoglu],” the 68-year-old said. “Lautaro’s demands are shared by the club; it’s the winning spirit that can take us forward.”
This prompted a response from the midfielder, who wrote on Instagram: “I respect every opinion, even that of a comrade, even that of the president. But respect cannot be a one-way street.
“I have always shown it, on and off the field. And I believe that in football, as in life, true strength lies in knowing how to respect one another, especially in the most delicate moments.”
According to journalist Orazio Accomando, Man Utd have enquired about Calhanoglu as his move to Istanbul is stalling. Inter are said to be demanding a whopping €40 million for him, with Galatasaray only willing to pay around €15m. At that price, a move to Man Utd seems impossible.
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