As the summer 2022 transfer window nears closing, here’s what Manchester United is looking to accomplish.
La Liga clubs’ financial years end on June 30. A transfer fee for Frenkie de Jong would be added to Barcelona’s results, which affect their salary limits for next season. As of June 29, United first talked to Barcelona about De Jong 49 days before. They have tried hard to negotiate. They have done the same thing with Tyrell Malacia as they did with Cristiano Ronaldo in similar but more severe situations. Chelsea are confident that they will be able to sign Raheem Sterling in the same week that they are expected to make an official offer.
Wooing Sterling
Sterling’s contract is up next year. Chelsea are looking for a proven goal scorer in the Premier League, and City have added Erling Haaland and Julian Alvarez to their attack. The City doesn’t mind selling Sterling to another top-four club, and Chelsea is their only chance to get a fee for him. No matter what, United’s counterparts are usually faster at making deals, and this has been the case for years. Going back to 2019, United’s strategy of negotiating one deal at a time cost them time.
Negotiations
Maguire’s negotiations were especially strange because he was worth £75 million the year before and had just signed a new contract. United ended up paying £80 million for Maguire, and it helped that he was an England international and had played in the Premier League for five years. This made it easier for him to fit in than it would have been for some other players. The agent for Sean Longstaff was told that they were in limbo and that United would start talking once the Wan-Bissaka deal was done. Longstaff was worth £50 million to Newcastle, so he wasn’t bought.
Manchester United and Some Patterns
United tends to give in when important deadlines are coming up, like when a pre-season tour leaves. In 2015, Matteo Darmian, Morgan Schneiderlin, and Bastian Schweinsteiger were driven to Carrington by United 48 hours before their flight to Seattle. Likewise, Romelu Lukaku was already in Los Angeles when Manchester United surprised Chelsea by buying him for £75 million two days before they landed at LAX in 2017.