Crysencio Summerville to Manchester United: Roma look to beat Manchester United to Crysencio Summerville signing
Crysencio Summerville to Manchester United: Roma are trying to wrap up a deal for Crysencio Summerville before Manchester United can even get to the negotiating table. According to Tuttomercato, the Italian club are moving fast. They know United are hamstrung by the ongoing uncertainty surrounding Marcus Rashford. Until Old Trafford figures out what is happening with Rashford, their transfer business is effectively on ice.
The Giallorossi are not hanging around. West Ham quickly knocked back their opening offer of €40m plus €5m in add-ons. The Hammers want £50m. It is the exact same valuation that scuppered United’s earlier pursuit of Mateus Fernandes. Still, Roma are determined. The Athletic reports they have returned with an improved £39m package, triggering formal club-to-club talks.
The Rashford roadblock at Old Trafford
United like the 24-year-old winger. He is high up on their wishlist, but INEOS have a major problem. They need to shift Rashford to fund the move. His £40 million release clause and massive £325,000-a-week wages are proving incredibly difficult to offload. Without that cash injection, United are trapped under a strict budget ceiling. Nobody at Carrington wants to breach it.
Roma have their own hurdles to clear, though. Summerville wants €6m a year, but the Serie A side refuse to go beyond €4m. That is a massive gap. In Italy, the belief is that Summerville’s agent is simply using Roma’s interest to smoke out Premier League bidders. Smart strategy, really. Roma have now set a firm deadline. If it passes without an agreement, they walk away.
Why the deal makes sense for United
West Ham’s recent relegation to the Championship means Summerville has no intention of playing second-tier football. He managed five goals and seven goal involvements in 31 Premier League appearances last term, averaging 0.18 goals per 90 minutes. Decent returns in a struggling side. He is under contract until 2029, and Transfermarkt pegged his value at €35m back in June.
Money is tight at Old Trafford after splashing out £85 million on Andrey Santos and Youri Tielemans. They want another midfielder too. That explains why they are hunting for a bargain out wide rather than breaking the bank. If a compromise fee below £50m can be struck, Summerville is an ideal option. But everything hinges on Rashford.
Read: Man Utd keen on deal to sign £25m Serie A star
Scorzo’s view
This situation screams leverage play. Summerville’s camp is dangling the Roma carrot to force English clubs to act. It might work. The wage dispute in Rome is significant, meaning the Italian switch is far from a certainty. United are well aware of this. The big question is whether INEOS will lose patience and sanction a bid without selling Rashford first. They have resisted doing that all summer. If Roma lose patience and pull the plug, United will have a completely clear run at him.