Man Utd 'contact agent' over transfer as 'target' makes fresh Red Devils admission

Manchester United will already be hard at work preparing for next season after deciding to keep Erik ten Hag. The Dutchman will know he will be walking a tightrope next season, but the board are likely to back him over the course of this summer.

That said, a change of transfer strategy under Jim Ratcliffe means the club are no longer likely to overpay for targets, preferring younger players that can grow in value. As the search for targets goes on, we have rounded up all the latest news surrounding Old Trafford.

Zirkzee ‘interest’

United are said to be among the suitors of Bologna star Joshua Zirkzee this summer. According to The Athletic and Sky Sport Germany, United have been in touch with the player’s representatives to see if a deal can be done ahead of next season.

AC Milan were one of the most recent teams linked, but yet to pay the £34million release clause in Zirkzee’s contract, the player remains up for grabs as he competed with the Netherlands at Euro 2024. Asked about his future recently, the winger said: “The road is long and you have to work hard every day. If you ask me what I prefer between making Bologna great or going to play for a big club soon, I tell you that the right choice is making Bologna great. Then we’ll see you.”

Cunha on United links

Matheus Cunha has again been asked about talk of him switching Wolves for United. This time, he told Globo Esporte: “Honestly, I don’t know. I’m on holiday, I just want to be with my friends, play football, surf, do those things I don’t do there. These things, I’ll leave to analyse when I get back. It’s very gratifying to have my name linked to Manchester United, but now we have to be happy and look for a new season that’s better than the last one.”

He added: “It was my best season in terms of numbers. I think that nowadays football is very much classified by numbers and maths, so I think that I’ve been very happy this year. I think I’ve reached a moment where experience and the happiness of being on the pitch also helps. That goes hand in hand with being calm when making decisions. I’m very happy playing for Wolves. The club welcomed me in an incredible way, gave me all the support to be the protagonist I’ve been and I can only thank them.”

Pardew on Ten Hag

Former Newcastle United boss Alan Pardew has been speaking about United’s decision to keep Ten Hag ahead of next season. “You can’t say anything else other than it was disrespectful to him and he is sending that,” Pardew told talkSPORT. “His interview when he did his interview for Dutch TV was enlightening. He was more or less saying ‘Well, they’ve had their review and they’ve come to the (idea) I am the best’. He has that arrogance about him.

“From my point of view, he holds all the cards. They’ve come out with a statement saying they’re going to give him a new contract when he hasn’t got the contract yet. If I were Ten Hag, I’d make them pay for that. Why wouldn’t you? He won’t be walking away - you don’t walk away from Man United. But he’s in a great negotiating position.”