Manchester United close to £44m first signing of the summer: report

Manchester United are set to make their first signing of the summer, for around £44 million.

The Red Devils have enjoyed a strong season, winning the League Cup and finding themselves in the quarter-finals of the Europa League and final four of the FA Cup. The campaign could finish even stronger, too, with the side within the top four in the final straight of the season.

But upgrades look a necessity this summer in a number of positions, as Erik ten Hag looks to take his squad to the next level. 

Transfer journalist Dean Jones, speaking to Givemesport (opens in new tab), has claimed that Manchester United are very close to striking a deal for Monaco defender, Axel Disasi. 

Disasi was a late call-up to the World Cup for France and has emerged this season as a solid centre-back in the principality club’s backline. With Spanish outlet Fichajes (opens in new tab) naming Harry Maguire and Victor Lindelof as two players leaving this summer, there’s space in the squad for a new defender. 

“He’s a different sort of player, but Axel Disasi could be viewed as Patrice Evra mark two if he was to come from the same Monaco pathway,” Jones said.

“His ceiling is high. He has as a similar age to Evra when he first arrived at the club and I’m told the initial conversations over the past couple of months have been pretty positive around this one.”

French football expert Jonathan Johnson, meanwhile, told CaughtOffside (opens in new tab), “He’s in that kind of ‘finishing school’ phase that Aurelien Tchouameni was in when he was there, and that someone like Wesley Fofana is in with Chelsea right now.”

Disasi is valued at €25m by Transfermarkt (opens in new tab)

More Manchester United stories

Manchester United are looking to capitalise on their resurgence in the transfer market, with big new signings. Victor Osimhen is one option for €100m, Declan Rice is on the radar and Jeremie Frimpong could arrive as a new right-back. More outlandish theories include signing Kylian Mbappe and selling Marcus Rashford to Arsenal. 

The Glazer ownership are not guaranteed to sell up – despite bids from lifelong fan, Sir Jim Radcliffe and Sheikh Jassim Bin Hamad Al Thani. Meanwhile, Marcus Rashford has underlined the importance of positive mentality at Old Trafford. 

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