Manchester United Transfer News Roundup: Red Devils willing to pay €60 million for Real Sociedad midfielder; club suffer blow in pursuit of Napoli defender, and more - December 3, 2022
Manchester United will look to revamp their squad once the transfer window reopens in January. New manager Erik ten Hag invested heavily in the squad this summer but will be eager for more at the turn of the year.
Meanwhile, the Red Devils are willing to pay €60 million for the signature of a Real Sociedad midfielder. Elsewhere, the Old Trafford outfit have suffered a blow in their quest to sign a Napoli defender.
On that note, here's a look at the key Manchester United transfer stories as on December 3, 2022:
Manchester United willing to pay €60 million for Martin Zubimendi
Manchester United are ready to pay €60 million for the signature of Martin Zubimendi, according to AS via Sport Witness.
The Spanish midfielder is wanted by Barcelona after a string of impressive performances for Real Sociedad. The 23-year-old has registered one goal and two assists in 16 games for the La Liga side this season.
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Manchester United are ‘willing to pay’ the release clause of Real Sociedad star Martin Zubimendi. Manchester United are said to have watched the 23-year-old closely during their recent European outings against Sociedad.
[AS] #MUFC https://t.co/DwG2pI36eb
The Red Devils have recently turned their attention to Zubimendi. United have a settled midfield trio of Bruno Fernandes, Casemiro and Christian Eriksen. However, there’s a lack of quality backup, which Ten Hag is keen to address at the turn of the year. Zubimendi has caught the eye of the Dutchman.
The Spaniard signed a new contract with Sociedad that will keep him at the club till 2027. However, his new deal has a €60 million release clause which Manchester United are planning to exercise.
The Red Devils reckon the 23-year-old would be a superb fit alongside Casemiro at the heart of midfield. Sociedad, though, are unaware of the Premier League giants' interest and have not received a formal bid yet.
Red Devils suffer blow in Min-jae Kim pursuit
Manchester United have suffered a setback in their pursuit of Min-jae Kim. According to Calciomercato via Sport Witness, Napoli president Aurelio De Laurentiis has decided to offer the 26-year-old a new deal. The South Korean has a €45 million release clause in his contract, which the Serie A giants want to remove in the new deal.
The Red Devils are looking to upgrade their backline and have turned their attention to Kim. Real Madrid and Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) are also keen on the 26-year-old. Napoli are aware that they're vulnerable to losing their prized asset due to his meagre release clause and are working to make amends. Kim has appeared 20 times for the Serie A side this season and has scored two goals.
The 26-year-old has helped South Korea reach the Round of 16 at the 2022 FIFA World Cup, where they will play Brazil on Monday (December 5).
Gabriel Jesus heaps praise on Casemiro
Gabriel Jesus has spoken highly about Casemiro. The former Real Madrid midfielder joined Manchester United this summer and has hit the ground running. The Brazilian has made the defensive midfield position his own and has become one of Ten Hag’s key men.
Speaking recently, Jesus spoke about his admiration for Casemiro.
"If you go to Google and watch Casemiro’s games for Real, you will find what he is all about. He went there and scored a lot. I have played with some good midfielders, and I put Fernandinho in there as well. But I have spent a lot of time with Casemiro – and he is just an amazing player," said Jesus.
He continued:
"Some people don’t understand that and don’t give him a lot of respect. But I do because I played with him for such a long time and know how good he is."
🗣️| Gabriel Jesus: “I don’t know if people in England watched Casemiro’s career before he came to the Premier League, but I followed him for years at Real Madrid and know how many goals he scored in the Champions League.” [@MirrorFootball] https://t.co/Ki6PNHrW8c
The Arsenal forward also said that Casemiro is a stellar addition to the Red Devils squad.
"He will definitely be a good signing for Manchester United because of his quality and the way he works. It is just amazing. He is just so focused all the time," said Jesus.
He added:
"He’s like, 'don’t lose, don’t give the ball away.' It has been the same everywhere he’s been – that’s why he has been so successful. If you are a player who loves to work and wants to follow a winner, then he is a great influence."
Casemiro is currently with the Brazil team in Qatar for the 2022 FIFA World Cup. The Selecao play South Korea on Monday (December 5) for a place in the quarterfinals.