A blockbuster Manchester United transfer that once looked straightforward to make is now almost impossible to complete, and Arsenal may succeed where the Red Devils will fail, according to reports.
The mid-season arrival of Ruben Amorim sparked new hope at Man Utd following the doom and gloom experienced in Erik ten Hag’s reign. Unfortunately for the Old Trafford faithful, United have proven that as bad as things were they can always get worse.
United have presided over their worst single season since suffering relegation in the 1973/74 campaign. Defeat in the Europa League final has ensured there’ll be no European football next season and the club’s finances have been crippled as a result.
An exodus including many of the club’s highest profile stars and academy graduates will now unfold. Jadon Sancho, Antony, Marcus Rashford, Alejandro Garnacho and Kobbie Mainoo are just five of many more expected to depart.
The purpose of Man Utd letting so many stars leave is to generate funds for new arrivals. Matheus Cunha will be signing No 1 after Man Utd agreed to pay the Brazilian’s £62.5m release clause in instalments to Wolves.
Cunha will line up in one of the two spots behind the striker in Amorim’s 3-4-2-1 formation. A new No 9 is expected to arrive and initial expectations at Old Trafford were a reunion between Amorim and Viktor Gyokeres would be straightforward to accomplish.
Amorim is the manager who turned Gyokeres into the world-beating striker he’s become over the last few seasons. The Swede has put up ungodly numbers at Sporting Lisbon, with his 53 goals in just 51 appearances this term firing Sporting to a domestic double.
Transfer guru Fabrizio Romano has confirmed Gyokeres will leave Sporting this summer and for a fee well below his €100m release clause.
Via a verbal pact made between the player, his agents and Sporting’s hierarchy, bids of just €65m are enough to seal a deal.
Yet despite United’s strong interest in signing Gyokeres, the latest from Sky Germany’s Florian Plettenberg has revealed the move is almost certainly NOT going to happen.
He wrote on X: “Understand that a move for Viktor Gyokeres to Manchester United is now almost off the table!
“It is currently not the player’s objective either. Instead, Man Utd are now signing Matheus Cunha.”
While not explicitly stated, Man Utd’s finances being hit and the absence of Champions League football are obvious factors behind a Gyokeres deal being resigned to the scrapheap.
Arsenal to succeed where Man Utd failed?
Gyokeres will be on the move this summer, though not to Man Utd. Instead, the 26-year-old could be the final piece of the puzzle for Mikel Arteta who hopes the signing of a potent new striker will transform the Gunners from challengers to champions.
A prior update from Plettenberg revealed Arsenal’s striker hunt has narrowed down to two stars – Gyokeres and RB Leipzig’s Benjamin Sesko.
The Athletic’s David Ornstein previously revealed Gyokeres is the favoured target of Arsenal’s sporting director, Andrea Berta.
Arteta’s dream signing for the striker position remains Alexander Isak. However, with Newcastle securing Champions League qualification despite losing to Everton on the final day, the chances of prising Isak out of St. James’ Park are virtually nil.
That is why Arsenal have switched focus to Sesko and Gyokeres and if swooping for the latter, Amorim will get to see his former frontman up close and personal next season, while wearing an Arsenal shirt.
READ MORE:Arsenal make new contact for ‘the best striker in the world’ Viktor Gyokeres
Latest Man Utd news – Garnacho to Napoli / United’s dirty dozen
In other news, Alejandro Garnacho has been informed he’ll be sold by Man Utd this summer and a move to Napoli is on the cards.
The Serie A champions are primed to offer a package worth around £50m. According to i news, Man Utd have lowered their asking price to £50m, meaning the chances of an agreement being struck are now sky high.
Elsewhere, one pundit has run the rule over Man Utd’s squad and named TWELVE players the club should dismiss – including three who’ve only just been signed.
QUIZ: Think you know Viktor Gyokeres? ⬇️