Manchester United are expected to complete one more signing before next Friday’s summer transfer deadline as they wrap up a busy first window of the INEOS era. Paris Saint-Germain midfielder Manuel Ugarte will likely be that new arrival, with talks between the two clubs advanced, but players should also make way.
Victor Lindelof, Scott McTominay, Christian Eriksen, Hannibal and Jadon Sancho are at the front and centre of the shop window.
Sancho, alongside McTominay, appears the most likely to depart after his exclusion from Erik ten Hag’s first two matchday squads of the Premier League season.
Ten Hag admitted that the 24-year-old winger was absent from the 1-0 victory against Fulham because he preferred Antony, Alejandro Garnacho and Joshua Zirkzee as his attacking substitutes.
And the Dutchman doubled down on his reasoning before Saturday’s clash at Brighton and Hove Albion, urging Sancho to fight for his place.
“He is here, but we had some issues. I had a choice to make,” Ten Hag told TNT Sports before kick-off.
“He has to compete for his position. We need in the squad every position double because it’s going to be a long season.”
However, Sancho reportedly made his desire to leave Old Trafford this summer clear after his Fulham snub. An exit would suit all parties.
Those parties are United, Sancho and potential incoming signing Ugarte, who hasn’t been left with too many desirable shirt number options.
The 23-year-old currently wears No. 4 at PSG, but Matthijs de Ligt inherited that shirt after completing his £43million move from Bayern Munich.
Ugarte wore the No. 15 at Sporting Lisbon before leaving for Paris, but United’s other centre-back signing, Leny Yoro, now occupies that.
He dons the No. 5 for Uruguay, but Harry Maguire is expected to remain at Old Trafford beyond the summer deadline, taking that option off the table.
It leaves Ugarte with the No. 13 shirt or pretty much any shirt number he wants from 26 onwards. However, Sancho could vacate the No. 25 in the coming days.
That would represent the next best thing from the No. 15 he wore at Sporting, and he has worn the shirt previously for Uruguay.
Eriksen’s exit would free up the No. 14 shirt, which he was first handed at PSG before switching to the No. 4. But there has been a lack of interest in the 32-year-old midfielder.
United’s main priority before then will be striking an agreement with the Ligue 1 giants, which could be a season-long loan with an obligation to buy next summer.
