Man Utd to pull out of £120m transfer race as INEOS plan to brutally SELL big-money flop for half-price | OneFootball

Manchester United are reportedly set to walk away from the race to sign one of their top midfield targets, as INEOS prepare to cut their losses and sell a failed big-money signing, who was brought in during the Erik ten Hag era.

INEOS, led by the Red Devils’ co-owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe, are preparing for a busy transfer window, and we have consistently reported that the club are looking to bring in more than one new midfielder.

The fact that Man Utd have made great progress under Michael Carrick and are set to qualify for the Champions League strengthens their hand, but it appears that they could miss out on Nottingham Forest star Elliot Anderson.

Man Utd to ABORT Anderson chase

Man Utd are reportedly ready to walk away from the race to sign Anderson, who, as we have consistently reported, is also a top target for rivals Manchester City.

The 23-year-old, who is set to feature for Forest in tonight’s Europa League semi-final against Aston Villa, has impressed hugely in the Premier League this season and is now a key part of Thomas Tuchel’s England squad.

Man Utd view him as a potential replacement for Casemiro, who is set to leave when his contract expires at the season’s end.

However, TEAMtalk revealed long ago that Anderson has long since given the nod over a move to the Etihad and the blue half of Manchester.

With Man City favourites in the race, respected BBC reporter Simon Stone has revealed that another big obstacle has presented itself to the Red Devils.

Nottingham Forest have reportedly placed a huge £120m (€139m, $162m) on Anderson.

Per Stone, Man Utd have made it clear that they will not overpay and would look elsewhere if the price gets to that level – especially with the club looking to sign at least two, and potentially three new midfielders this summer.

“I think I’ve done a piece for the BBC website, and in there, it makes it perfectly clear that they want, as an absolute number one top priority, one, two, possibly three central midfield players, depending on what happens with [Manuel] Ugarte,” he told BBC Sounds’ The Devil’s Advocate podcast.

“Elliot Anderson at Nottingham Forest is number one on that list.

“But they’re staying up now, so that’s going to be £120 million potentially.

“Well, you say that, but I’m not sure that’s quite done and dusted yet. But United are also saying £120 million; they won’t go to that.

“They say, we’ve heard this before numerous times, the days of paying huge salaries to people on long contracts, that they can’t get out of, that they’re still paying for at the moment.”

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Man Utd to accept cut-price sale

Meanwhile, alongside Casemiro, fellow Man Utd midfielder Manuel Ugarte is expected to depart Old Trafford.

The Athletic claimed Man Utd chief Ratcliffe watched Ugarte from the director’s box during the 2-1 defeat to Leeds United a fortnight ago. Ratcliffe’s assessment of the player was brutal to say the least.

The report read: ‘United will still need to raise funds through sales and Manuel Ugarte is prominent in thoughts.

‘Ugarte, signed in a £50.5m deal from Paris Saint-Germain in 2024, has not established himself at all and is set to be made available for transfer.

‘Ratcliffe is said to be of the view the 25-year-old should be sold, a stance underlined by his view from the Old Trafford directors’ box for the Leeds game, which Ugarte started in place of the injured Kobbie Mainoo.’

And now, according to journalist, Rodri Vazquez, Ugarte will now be allowed to leave for roughly half of the £50million Man Utd paid to sign Ugarte from PSG.

“Manuel Ugarte with his days numbered at Manchester United,” wrote Vazquez on X.

“Jorge Chijane will meet in the coming days with Jorge Mendes to try to advance the departure of the Uruguayan midfielder.

“The English team is aiming for a negotiation for a permanent sale close to €28,000,000.

“Atlético Madrid and Napoli are the teams most interested at this moment.”

Man Utd ‘express interest’ in Barcelona star

In other news, reports from Spain claim that Man Utd have made contact over a potential move for Barcelona left-back Alejandro Balde.

‘No one denies that a sale for more than €50million (£43m) would be key to giving their transfer plans a significant push,’ it’s stated.

Man Utd are among the clubs to have contacted Barca and ‘expressed their interest’ in snapping him up this summer.

The Red Devils are ‘exploring’ a potential deal for Balde, seeing it as a ‘market opportunity’. They are currently waiting to see whether the seven-cap Spain international will greenlight a transfer to England.