Once Manchester United completes the signing of Manuel Ugarte, they will have successfully secured most of their top transfer targets for the summer. Ugarte has long been seen as the ideal successor to Casemiro, and with his arrival, the club can feel confident about the business they’ve conducted in this transfer window.
However, it seems there may be time for one more significant acquisition before the window closes. According to a report from The Standard, Manchester United has initiated talks to sign Brentford’s striker Ivan Toney.
Toney is eager for a high-profile move before the transfer deadline and is currently in discussions with Chelsea as well. Although Chelsea is his preferred destination, Manchester United has begun preliminary talks with Brentford, hoping to sway the player and secure his signature.
The report suggests that these negotiations are still in the early stages. Brentford is hoping that Manchester United will come forward with a substantial offer, potentially sparking a bidding war with Chelsea for Toney. The club has set an asking price of around £40 million for the striker this summer.
Previously, Brentford was demanding as much as £100 million for Toney. However, with less than a year remaining on his contract, they are now willing to accept half of that amount to avoid the risk of losing him on a free transfer next summer.
Brentford’s manager, Thomas Frank, has left the 28-year-old penalty specialist out of his squad for two consecutive Premier League matches, suggesting the club is preparing for his departure.
At the moment, Chelsea appears to be the only club in advanced negotiations, but the situation could change rapidly if Manchester United decides to push forward with their interest.
While Ivan Toney could be a valuable addition to Manchester United’s squad, the club already has options for the striker position in Rasmus Hojlund and Joshua Zirkzee.
Although Zirkzee is versatile and can play in multiple positions, spending £40 million on Toney after an already expensive transfer window might not be the most prudent decision.
So far, Manchester United’s Director of Football, Dan Ashworth, has made shrewd moves in the transfer market.
There’s no reason to doubt his judgment at this point. The next few hours will reveal whether the Red Devils will seriously pursue Toney or if they will decide to hold off on further spending this summer.
