Manchester United look likely to have a place in the Champions League for next season.
The Red Devils edged past Aston Villa at Old Trafford at the weekend and are now seven points clear of nearest challengers Liverpool with a game on hand. Erik ten Hag’s men are back in action on Thursday as they take on Brighton at the AMEX Stadium.
With a return to the top table of European football on the cards, United are already getting their transfer plans for next season in place. Take a look at the latest news and rumours coming out of Old Trafford over the past 24 hours.
Red Devils scout Tammy Abraham
United sent scouts to watch Tammy Abraham on the weekend as the club’s recruitment department searches for alternatives to Tottenham star Harry Kane. United are in desperate need of a world-class striker in the summer transfer window, with Wout Weghorst failing to fill the void left by Cristiano Ronaldo’s departure mid-season.
The former Chelsea striker scored in Roma’s 1-1 draw against AC Milan on Saturday and representatives of United were there to see it, according to Gazzetta dello Sport.
United scouts have been spotted ‘several times’ at Roma games to watch Abraham this season. But, like Napoli star Victor Osimhen, he is unlikely to come cheap in the summer transfer window.
Man United have secret Bellingham weapon
The Red Devils' pursuit of Jude Bellingham has been handed a boost after the appointment of Matt Hargreaves as the spearhead for the club's football negotiations.
He made the move from Adidas, where he looked after a number of major clients from the Bundesliga, with Bellingham one of his star assets. The England international has been with the brand since 2020 and promotes all the apparel and sporting items by Adidas through social media as well.
United could use Hargreaves as a secret weapon to convince Bellingham to come to the Red Devils, instead of some of the other top European clubs. The former Birmingham star is valued at around £130million by Dortmund, although his price is skyrocketing and may cost even more this summer.
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Fernandes makes ‘hurting’ admission
Bruno Fernandes says he is willing to play through the pain barrier to ensure United qualify for the Champions League.
After scoring the winning goal against Villa at the weekend, he said: “I'm happy to never be in a condition that doesn't make me get out of games.
"But, obviously, I had a knock in the FA Cup semi-final and that still hurts a little bit. But I can play. I can still help the team and whenever the manager needs me.”