Sir Jim Ratcliffe has already hinted at a Man Utd transfer. (Image: BLOOMBERG)
Manchester United are set to secure the £52million signing of Leny Yoro after opting to push for the Lille defender rather than prioritise Bayern Munich’s Matthijs de Ligt. The latter may have been United’s go-to deal under the club’s previous regime, but Sir Jim Ratcliffe has already made INEOS’ transfer strategy clear.
Ratcliffe has ruthlessly formed a new-look recruitment team at Old Trafford in an attempt to end over a decade of financial mismanagement and regular big-money flops.
The INEOS boss has gone on record claiming United have burnt through cash under the Glazer family’s watch since Sir Alex Ferguson’s retirement.
Omar Berrada is now working as chief executive, joining sporting director Dan Ashworth, technical director Jason Wilcox and director of global talent Christopher Vivell at the helm of football operations.
And United have refocused their recruitment plan on younger players with high ceilings rather than pursuing big-name stars so far this summer.
Bologna striker Joshua Zirkzee completed a £35million switch last week, and Yoro’s arrival would push the summer spending to £87m.
United’s decision to put all their effort into luring the 18-year-old to Old Trafford rather than a more established name in De Ligt comes as no surprise after Ratcliffe’s comments in March.
“I think in a way what I would rather do is try to sign the next Mbappe than spend a fortune trying to buy success,” Ratcliffe explained on the Cycling Club podcast.
Man Utd are set to sign Leny Yoro for £52m. (Image: Getty)
“It’s not that clever buying Mbappe, anyone can figure that one out. What’s much more challenging is to find the next Mbappe or [Jude] Bellingham or Roy Keane.”
He added: “The solution isn’t spending a lot of money on a couple of great players. They’ve done that.
“If you look at what they’ve done in the last 10 years, they have spent a lot of money on a couple of great players.
“The first thing you need to do is get the right people in the right boxes managing the club and make sure we get recruitment right, that’s such a vital part of a football club, getting recruitment right.”
United now have the “right people in the right boxes” and it has shown with the club’s rapid start to a crucial summer transfer window.
The Red Devils are also expected to target another centre-back and central midfielder but will likely rely on further player sales.
Mason Greenwood is on the verge of a £27m move to Marseille. Meanwhile, Aaron Wan-Bissaka and Scott McTominay are the subjects of active interest in the Premier League and beyond.
United have so far raised £19m through the sales of Alvaro Fernandez to Benfica, Donny Van de Beek to Girona and Willy Kambwala to Villarreal.
Source: https://www.express.co.uk/sport/football/1924586/Man-Utd-transfer-news-Sir-Jim-Ratcliffe