Manchester United are eyeing big moves for La Liga stars that would 'absolutely raise eyebrows', according to Athletic journalist Andy Mitten.
Man United are currently focused on trying to secure Champions League football next season, but their hopes took a hit as they suffered the first defeat of Michael Carrick's caretaker reign this week against Newcastle United.
Fortunately for United, two of their top-four rivals in Aston Villa and Liverpool were beaten, though another in Chelsea were the victors against Unai Emery's side.
It is likely that a top-five Premier League finish will be enough to secure Champions League qualification, with the Red Devils currently three points ahead of sixth-placed Liverpool.
United do also hold the advantage of having no other distractions away from league games, and will be looking to immediately bounce back against Villa at Old Trafford a week on Sunday.
United Drawing Up Summer Transfer Plans
Man United chiefs Jason Wilcox, Omar Berrada and Christopher Vivell
While there remains uncertainty over who United's permanent manager will be next season, with Carrick pushing himself into serious contention prior to the loss at St James' Park, formalising transfer plans off the pitch is underway.
GIVEMESPORT sources have revealed that Champions League qualification could make a big difference to United's summer transfer budget, and how many positions they could look to strengthen.
As well as two top midfielders, United could also look at a right-back, a versatile left-sided player who can play as a winger or wing-back, and a striker, according to GMS sources.
The midfield position is key though, and while players with Premier League experience like Nottingham Forest's Elliot Anderson and Brighton and Hove Albion's Carlos Baleba are high on United's shortlist, they are looking further afield too, as confirmed by Mitten on the latest episode of the Athletic's Talk of the Devils podcast.
He said:
"Manchester United have got their targets, the players they’re interested in. Some of them are public, some of them are not. They’ve got to gauge who is prepared to come.
"The midfield is the key one. They’re looking at some of the players we’ve mentioned [Anderson, Wharton, Baleba], but there are others, a few in Spain that would absolutely raise eyebrows."
Man Utd Targeting 'Eyebrow-Raising' Spanish Transfer
Sir Jim Ratcliffe
Sir Jim Ratcliffe
While Premier League know-how is clearly a key consideration for United's current transfer strategy after the success of the likes of Bryan Mbeumo and Matheus Cunha in recent months, they are also open to opportunities abroad too.
While Mitten doesn't name which Spain-based players United are looking at, there are names you can speculate about.
Lucien Agoume at Sevilla has been linked for example with Christopher Vivell said to be a fan, although it would be debatable to describe that potential deal as 'eyebrow-raising'.
Other names who could fit the bill are Real Madrid trio Eduardo Camavinga, Aurelien Tchouameni and even Jude Bellingham, who has been linked with a move back to England in recent weeks.
Any of this trio would certainly be 'eyebrow-raising', so it could be an exciting summer ahead for Man United and their fans if they are going to be that ambitious.
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