Manchester United have agreed terms on a deal to bring Inter Milan goalkeeper Andre Onana to Old Trafford in a projected £47m transfer.
The Premier League giants have been in intense talks with current stopper David de Gea, who won the Golden Glove in the 2022/23 campaign, but the Spanish star recently confirmed he is looking for a new challenge. And so United boss Erik Ten Hag has wasted no time in bringing in a top-quality replacement, a player he worked with as manager of Ajax.
The Nerazzurri keeper has made it clear he wanted to be united with Ten Hag, and the feeling is mutual as the Old Trafford chief believes the 27-year-old is more suited to the modern game than his previous Number One. He’s a ball-playing keeper in the mould of Manchester City’s Ederson, happy to take risks and play out from the back and the Cameroon star was a key player during Inter’s march to the Champions League final last season.
He’ll be making plenty of Premier League 2023 highlights next season and Manchester United fans will have to get used to a new style of guardian.
In other Old Trafford news the Red Devils are reported to have offered striker Marcus Rashford a new five-year contract, as a reward for his best season yet at the club. The player had been below par for a couple of campaigns but he was totally rejuvenated last season as Ten Hag got him focussed and firing. Rashford ended up with 30 goals in all competitions, the first Manchester United player to reach that benchmark since Robin Van Persie in their last title-winning season in 2013.
He has been at Old Trafford since he was at primary school and Rashford has apparently had offers to move elsewhere, but the 25-year-old wants to stay loyal to his boyhood club and help them to continue their progress. The Red Devils are back in the Champions League and while the pre–season Premier League 2023 betting odds reckon Manchester City are hot favourites for the 2023/24 title; United will be a force to be reckoned with.
The contract renewal is in its final stage of negotiations and that takes a little pressure off United’s recruitment team who are still trying to nail a deal to bring Atalanta striker Rasmus Hojlund to the club.
Chelsea turnover continues
Like every other media outlet, here at SBOTOP we never cease to be amazed by the circus that has been performing in Chelsea over the past 12 months as the frantic activity at Stamford Bridge shows no sign of slowing down; and now there have been rumours of two imminent outgoings.
West Ham United are reported to be close to agreeing a deal to bring young midfielder Conor Gallagher to the London Stadium to bolster David Moyes’ squad in time for the 2023/24 Premier League campaign. The Europa Conference League champions are hoping for another successful campaign and Gallagher is the type of player they need to make a move on the top seven in England, as well as going deep into the cup competitions.
The England international could cost the Hammers up to £30m but, as an all-action midfielder, he would be a huge asset. Gallagher can play a holding role or in a more advanced position and is entering the prime of his career. Following the record-breaking transfer of Declan Rice to Arsenal the Hammers boss David Moyes has been in the market for a midfielder, though he said they won’t get a ‘like for like’ replacement.
But he has cash in the bank if he is determined to bring Gallagher to East London I think this move will happen.
The other player likely to exit Stamford Bridge is Gabon striker Pierre Emerick-Aubameyang. The 34-year-old was a legend at Arsenal and starred at Barcelona, but since his £10m move from the Camp Nou to Chelsea last year things have gone from bad to worse.
It was never going to be easy for an ex-Gunner to play in Blue, but the chaos at the club which resulted in a bottom-half finish pulled many players down and Aubameyang had a wretched time, scoring just three times in 21 appearances in West London. He is not in new manager Mauricio Pochettino’s plans and a move to the Saudi Pro league has been mooted, but it now looks likely that Auba is on his way to Ligue 1 side Olympique Marseilles.
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