Man Utd's Four-Man Transfer Shortlist Emerges as Sir Jim Ratcliffe Contemplates New Strategy

As part of a new strategy led by Sir Jim Ratcliffe, Manchester United is planning to focus on signing players who are entering the final 12 months of their contracts. The recruitment process has been a significant concern at Old Trafford for the past decade, and it is an area that the Ineos chief aims to address and enhance. Despite providing Erik ten Hag with substantial funds to spend in his previous two summers in charge, Manchester United still possess financial resources for further investments.

In an effort to mitigate financial strains, Manchester United is adopting a strategy of pursuing players whose market values may be lower than usual due to their contract situations. Clubs are often willing to accept reduced transfer fees for players who are approaching the end of their contracts and could potentially leave for free in 12 months. This approach will help ease the financial burden on Manchester United.

According to a source cited by ESPN, the club's financial situation remains challenging, despite attempts in January to reduce the wage bill by loaning out players such as Jadon Sancho and Donny van de Beek. As part of their strategy, Manchester United will be targeting the Bayern Munich duo of Joshua Kimmich and Alphonso Davies.

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Bayern Munich duo of Joshua Kimmich and Alphonso Davies

Both Joshua Kimmich and Alphonso Davies have uncertain futures at Bayern Munich as contract negotiations continue. Kimmich, a long-standing presence at Bayern, has now been linked with both Manchester clubs. Davies, though of interest to Manchester United, reportedly prefers a move to Real Madrid if he decides to leave.

Manchester United is also keeping an eye on Lille forward Jonathan David, who has scored an impressive 39 goals in the last 18 months for the French club. Another player on United's radar is Khephren Thuram from Nice. Thuram was previously linked with Liverpool during the summer transfer window and has caught the attention of Old Trafford due to his contract situation.

As part of Sir Jim Ratcliffe's strategy, Manchester United may also consider moves for players such as Ivan Toney, Federico Chiesa from Juventus, and Denzel Dumfries, who is a compatriot of manager Erik ten Hag. All three players' contracts are set to expire in 2025.

Last summer, Manchester United became aware of Mason Mount's situation at Chelsea, which prompted their interest in the talented midfielder. Mount had been unable to reach an agreement on a new contract with Chelsea, which ultimately led to United pursuing the player. This situation put pressure on Chelsea, who were subsequently compelled to sell Mount to a direct rival.

Erik ten Hag's performance in the transfer window has been a mixed bag, with some hits and misses. He made significant investments in players like Antony and Andre Onana, but they have not lived up to expectations. Furthermore, there are doubts surrounding the decision to sign Casemiro during Ten Hag's initial summer in charge.

Despite not having appointed a new director of football, Sir Jim Ratcliffe and the INEOS team have already begun planning for the upcoming summer transfer window. They are reportedly looking to fill the position in the coming weeks, with individuals such as Michael Edwards, formerly of Liverpool, and Dan Ashworth from Newcastle being linked to the role.

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