Man United have been linked with a Newcastle star ahead of next summer.placeholder image
Man United have been linked with a Newcastle star ahead of next summer. | Getty Images
Manchester United have seen links emerge with a top Newcastle star in recent days
Manchester United have given themselves a great chance of reaching the Champions League after a rapid start to life under Michael Carrick at Old Trafford.
The Red Devils have won four successive matches in the Premier League since their former midfielder took over as head coach from Ruben Amorim, overturning a deficit on Liverpool to sprint five points clear of their arch-rivals in the race for fourth place.
United spent heavily on their strike force last summer and that is beginning to pay dividends, with Bryan Mbeumo and Matheus Cunha decisive in recent victories and Benjamin Sesko beginning to get more amongst the goals.
Next summer, the midfield has been touted as a major position to strengthen and if the Red Devils can secure Champions League football, they will be in an even stronger position to launch offers for some of the best in the position which Europe has to offer.
Man United target massive Sandro Tonali move
One midfield star who United are reportedly targeting ahead of the summer is Newcastle United and Italy star Sandro Tonali, who was linked with a shock move to Arsenal on Deadline Day before those rumours were quickly put to bed. The 25-year-old has been linked with a return to Serie A in the past, though, and might be tempted to push for an exit if the Magpies fail to qualify for the Champions League.
Man United may find themselves in the midst of a bidding war for Tonali this summer and after some rather reckless spending at times in recent years, the Red Devils will be wary of not spending beyond their means on the midfielder – so could decide to offer one of their own players in part-exchange for the Italy international, so to sweeten the deal for Newcastle.
Could Man United launch shock Newcastle swap deal?
It is likely that United are hoping to sign two high-profile midfield targets this summer, with the likes of Elliot Anderson, Adam Wharton and Carlos Baleba all linked as potential replacements for the outgoing Casemiro. If Tonali was to arrive as a second major transfer arrival, one player who could find himself pushed further down the pecking order at Old Trafford is Mason Mount.
The 27-year-old has made 17 Premier League appearances for United this season, scoring three times in 10 league starts and proving himself to be a reliable squad member under Amorim. The former Chelsea star has only made one brief substitute appearance under Carrick and has missed the last two matches with injury.
Mount has arguably never quite found his top form at Old Trafford since his £60m move and might view Newcastle as an ideal place to blossom if he is included in a player-plus-cash swap deal for Tonali. Ideally suited to playing in a midfield three or an attacking midfield role, Mount is famed for his box-to-box energy and tireless work-rate and would be a perfect fit for an Eddie Howe system.
While Mount may be reluctant to leave United and might feel he still has something to prove at Old Trafford, the former England midfielder could conceivably at St. James’ Park rediscover the form which saw him earn 36 caps for the Three Lions between 2019 - 2022. This could be one to watch out for and it will be interesting to see if Mount is linked with moves elsewhere if United do strengthen in midfield in the next summer transfer window.
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