Man Utd ‘ready to offer’ £43.5m swap deal as Carrick tipped to demand ‘three big signings’ | OneFootball

Manchester United are reportedly ‘ready to offer’ a cash-plus player swap deal worth around £43.5m to sign AC Milan star Rafael Leao.

The Red Devils have now solved their manager situation, with current interim boss Michael Carrick closing in on an initial two-year contract after sealing Champions League qualification with a third-place finish in the Premier League.

Therefore, club chiefs can now switch their focus to transfers and will need to be active in the market to strengthen ahead of their Champions League return.

It has been widely reported that the Red Devils will focus on rebuilding centre-midfield, but they could also bolster other positions.

The left wing is one department in need of strengthening, and AC Milan star Leao has been mooted as a potential signing.

Leao has not been at his best this season and it feels as if these reports are being pushed by AC Milan and/or his agent to get a move, especially because there are more tempting options on the market who have shown better form and are available for a cheaper fee.

Still, Caught Offside are reporting that the Red Devils are ‘ready to offer’ 50 million euros (£43.5m) plus a player to sign Leao with AC Milan ‘open’ to a ‘creative’ solution to get rid of Leao.

The report adds:

Michael Carrick tipped to demand “three big signings”

And former Man Utd assistant manager Rene Meulensteen has backed Carrick to make three major transfer demands ahead of next season.

Meulensteen told TEAMtalk: “Michael’s response possibly would be okay, I’m happy to do that [to win trophies], but I need X, Y and Z to make this happen – three big signings who can really deliver.

“If you do that, I’m sure that I can challenge for the title next year, because that’s why I’m here. That’s why I’m carrying on…

“Michael will also know he needs the players to be doing well in the Champions League and compete on other trophy fronts as well.

“He will want to go full out and stay as long as he can in all competitions and then possibly win them. That’s probably his attitude, and it’s the right one as well.”

On the expectations for Carrick next season, he continued: “He will be expected to win, or at the very least challenge for the Premier League title because that’s what any manager needs to do when they go to Manchester United.

“You are there to win trophies, and you are there to challenge for the Premier League.

“Ignore the fact that United has been mismanaged over a number of years. Yes, there have been a few little trophies down recent years, but not of the calibre that you expect United to win. And that is exactly what the expectation will now be.

“Michael will know this, but I can tell you that is exactly the expectation that Michael would have anyway.”