Manchester United can go three out of four in the Premier League in the transfer market if they so desire after one star has made it ‘absolutely clear’ that he wants to join.
The train that was started by Matheus Cunha was halted by Liam Delap, before Bryan Mbeumo seems to have picked it back up again.
The concerted effort from Man Utd to buy proven Premier League players is reminiscent of Sir Alex Ferguson’s transfer template.
So far, they are 2/3 (assuming the second Mbeumo bid develops positively), but they can go 3/4 with another star eager to join. Ruben Amorim has a firm plan in mind.
Emiliano Martinez of Aston Villa warms up prior to the Premier League match between Manchester United and Aston Villa at Old Trafford on April 30, 2023
Photo by Gareth Copley/Getty Images
Man Utd aware of Emiliano Martinez’s desire to join
Because the Mbeumo saga has stretched and the striker search has thrown up new names consistently, United’s goalkeeping situation has gone under the radar.
Andre Onana is coming off a bad season, to put it politely, and at any other club with enough financial resources, would be at the risk of getting replaced.
However, United’s financial situation is such that they have to prioritise, and the goalkeeper position is not among their top ones.
That might change if a deal can be done on the cheap, which looks like it could be the case for Aston Villa’s Emiliano Martinez.
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United’s links to Martinez are not new, but transfer insider Ben Jacobs, via United Stand, has thrown some interesting wrinkles to it, including his fierce desire to join.
Jacobs spoke about Villa’s PSR situation, which necessitates one sale before the end of July, with Martinez being a prime contender.
He said: “The player camp [Emiliano Martinez’s] have made it absolutely clear to Man Utd that they’re interested, but Man Utd camp are not yet the ones driving this because they haven’t made the decision on Onana. If they wanted to move for Martinez, the player would be keen.
“Onana has been told in the last few months that he’s their No. 1. Their original plan was about Bayindir departing and getting a No. 2.
“Ruben Amorim wants clarity on that as soon as possible. If Onana walks through that door on July 7, then Man Utd are looking for a young No. 2. Ruben Amorim wants clarity that way. Then you discount names like Diogo Costa and Martinez.”
Ruben Amorim’s stance is perfect
While United will be heartened to see their pull remains as strong as ever, Amorim’s stance on Onana by July 7 is perfect for stability at the club.
United can’t start their pre-season with one goalkeeper between the sticks whose head is spinning over uncertainty about his position.
That becomes even worse if he’s sold midway through the pre-season, because the communication between the goalkeeper and the defenders is the main part of a defence.
The stance of being open for a new goalkeeper until the pre-season training begins makes perfect sense, and it looks increasingly likely that Onana will get a season of judgement.
Perform like he did in 2024/25, and the goalkeeping position immediately becomes a priority in 2026. If not, then it’s money saved by United by making a firm decision this summer.
Martinez might be ‘absolutely clear’ that he wants United, but unless something drastic happens in the next two weeks, he might have to look elsewhere.
This saga is not stretching past July 7 in a refreshing change of pace due to Amorim’s clarity of thought.