Jaw-dropping Man Utd signing ON as Sir Jim Ratcliffe targets outlandish raid on rivals | OneFootball

An elite Real Madrid star has reportedly ‘agreed in principle’ to join Manchester United in the summer transfer window, but only if Jurgen Klopp is appointed as the next coach of the LaLiga giants, while Sir Jim Ratcliffe is also chasing an outlandish Red Devils deal.

It’s expected to be a transformative summer at Old Trafford as United look to appoint a new permanent boss, who will almost certainly be afforded significant funds to bolster his squad, especially if the club are back in the Champions League.

Interim chief Michael Carrick is doing a remarkable job, with four wins from his five games in charge, but is still unlikely to get the full-time Man Utd role as the club push for a bigger name capable of attracting elite players from across Europe.

Shock Bellingham to Man Utd links grow

According to the latest reports in Spain, Jude Bellingham has ‘agreed in principle’ to join Manchester United in the summer, if the Spanish side turns to former Liverpool boss Klopp as their next coach.

Former Real defender Alvaro Arbeloa is currently in charge at the Bernabeu after Xabi Alonso was sacked in January amid rumours of discontent in the dressing room.

Real, who will have to face Benfica in the Champions League play-offs, are currently top of LaLiga under Arbeloa, but Spanish reports claim England playmaker Bellingham ‘has a deal in place to leave Real Madrid if Jurgen Klopp takes over as manager’.

There have been claims that the former Anfield chief wants Bellingham out of he gets the job and that the former Birmingham man has ‘reached an agreement in principle with Manchester United to facilitate an immediate departure should a change in management occur’.

The report adds: ‘The move is contingent solely on Klopp ‘s arrival . If the German coach does not land at the Santiago Bernabéu , the midfielder intends to remain at the club.

‘The move is part of a protection strategy. Bellingham doesn’t want to wait for the new manager to redefine his position or limit his influence on the team. He prefers to get ahead of the curve and secure a destination where he maintains his status and is the central figure of the project.

‘Manchester United offers him that status, in addition to a structural role within the team, similar to the one he had at Real Madrid.’

All sounds very promising for United, although speculation from Spain often needs to be taken with a pinch of salt and it remains to be seen how much truth there is in the report – especially when you consider that Bellingham has always been a long-term Liverpool target.

Man Utd plotting unheard of summer swoop

Manchester United co-owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe is reportedly keen on a shock raid on bitter rivals Liverpool this summer to bring Alexis Mac Allister to Old Trafford.

Direct transfers between the two North West rivals are incredibly rare, with the last one coming more than 60 years ago when Phil Chisnall swapped Old Trafford to Anfield, while Michael Owen is the most recent footballer to have turned out for both clubs.

However, The Mirror reports that the Red Devils are plotting what would be an audacious raid on Liverpool for Argentine midfielder Mac Allister.

The 27-year-old could leave Liverpool at the end of the season and has been heavily linked with Spanish giants Real Madrid, whose president Florentino Perez is a massive admirer.

It also remains to be seen if Liverpool would be willing to sell the midfielder they signed for £55million (€63.2m, $75m) in the summer of 2023, especially with Real also lurking and providing a far less painful exit than selling to United.

‘Despite the odds being stacked against United landing Mac Allister, co-owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe wants to keep all of his options open, and would be interested in signing him if he became available’, claims the report in The Mirror, which has been written by the publication’s Chief Sports Writer, Jeremy Cross.

Mac Allister, who is currently under contract at Liverpool until the summer of 2028, is said to be intrigued by the idea of an Anfield exit, although it’s fair more likely that he will head to the Bernabeu than Old Trafford this summer.

Man Utd still targeting secondary midfield raid

TEAMtalk sources have confirmed Manchester United will continue to monitor Middlesbrough star Hayden Hackney as they map out their midfield recruitment strategy ahead of the summer, although they will face several rivals or his signature.

Despite the likes of Adam Wharton, Elliot Anderson and Carlos Baleba continuing to be linked with an Old Trafford switch, the club are also looking at talent excelling outside of the Premier League, with Hackney definitely ticking that particular box.

We revealed on January 15 that Tottenham also hold genuine interest in Hackney, having tried to sign him last summer, while our sources also understand that Everton are monitoring the Boro standout.

Hackney’s situation will become more fluid in the summer window, and there is growing belief that he will be playing Premier League football next term – whether that is with Boro via promotion or through a high-profile transfer.

From United’s perspective, they are waiting to make their move, depending on what happens with their more high-profile midfield targets. However, Hackney has always been viewed as an extra summer addition rarher than an alternative, so his future is definitely one to keep an eye on.

United are interested in bringing former Chelsea winger Raheem Sterling to Old Trafford in the summer of 2026, according to a fanciful report, which TEAMtalk believes has to be treated with the utmost caution.

Elsewhere, the Red Devils will open talks with the agents of former Manchester City midfielder Felix Nmecha shortly, according to a report, as the club’s co-owners, INEOS, ramp up their hunt for a replacement for Casemiro.

Finally, United are keen on bringing a Bundesliga winger to Old Trafford in the summer of 2026, with a report revealing that the club’s co-owners, INEOS, view him as the missing piece to complete their attack on the left.